Would You Sue To Get An Engagement Ring Back?

Because this guy (who is a millionaire, by the way) did…

People splash a lot of cash on engagement rings these days. With many people having a penchant for diamonds bigger than their knuckles, spending your hard earned dough on a piece of bling is now a big financial decision to make. So if a relationship falls apart, it’s probably fair to ask for the ring back – or at least to ask for some kind of financial compensation. Right?

Well, what about if you’re a millionaire? Wyatt Koch is a member of the Koch family, otherwise known as one of the richest families in America. He’s the eldest son of Bill Koch, one of the four famous brothers who had a huge feud in the 1980s – which Bill ended up losing. Nonetheless his net worth is still estimated at $1.65 billion, so Wyatt naturally enjoys quite the lavish lifestyle.

It looks like Wyatt has also inherited the family’s contentious habits as well as their wealth, however. He purchased an 8.24 carat engagement ring in New York for a hefty $180,000. It’s a cushion cut diamond with two tapered baguette diamonds either side, designed by Oscar Heyman. He used it to propose to his girlfriend, Ivie Gabrielle Slocumb, who accepted. All seemed to be well, until she suddenly called off the engagement last May. The break-up wasn’t exactly mutual.

What’s the logical thing to do when you come from a family known for its feuds? Demand that your almost-spouse give the ring back, of course! Wyatt didn’t just ask politely, though – he, a millionaire, actually went to court to sue! Documents in Florida allege that he ‘demanded the return of the ring on multiple occasions’ and that Ivie ‘received the ring as a conditional gift. She refuses to return it despite proper demand and the condition not being fulfilled’. He also wants $15,000 in damages on top of the return of the ring or its monetary value.

The files also mention a platinum diamond pendant worth $7,750 and containing 56 round diamonds, although Wyatt didn’t order them to be returned (because that would be asking for too much?)

We don’t know all the details about the relationship or about Wyatt’s personal finances, but.. Surely when you have access to pretty much unlimited amounts of money, $250,000 is a drop in the ocean? We have a feeling it could be better for everyone to just let this one go…