Has our obsession with ‘The Ring’ got out of (manicured) hand?

THE ring, a mega-watt sparkler that goes on the fourth finger of your left hand when you decide to spend the rest of your life with someone.

Or so convention dictates anyway. Some of the most most-read stories on Her in recent days include the most popular engagement ring on Pinterest and the rose gold ring trend so it's safe to say that this particular obsession shows no sign of waning. Now, before people say I'm hating on this age-old tradition, let me tell you that I have out of control magpie tendencies where I obsess about all the beautiful jewels I'll never realistically afford. That said, I have to wonder about the sensibility of dropping oodles of cash on a ring when you have so many other things to consider. If you're getting engaged, there's a big palaver to follow, with the average cost of an Irish wedding in 2017 priced around the €25,000 mark. Gulp. It seems like people are willing to cut costs elsewhere by reducing the number of guests, opting for an alternative venue, buying a dress in a sample sale, but the ring is like the holy grail of the whole process and there's a weird unsaid agreement that dictates how expensive it should be. It is a piece you'll wear for the rest of your life and of course you want it to be absolutely breath-taking but that doesn't mean you need to sell your granny to achieve that. When all's said and done, getting married is about so much more than the proposal. With so many wedding 'trends' and options, it's all too easy to become caught up in the excitement (and stress) of organising such a monumental occasion and thus forgetting the point of the whole thing. If you and your significant other know you want to grow old together, it's a pretty massive deal and no piece of jewellery can ever express that. People want to celebrate and show the world just how much they mean to each other but your engagement ring won't do that, chances are it will just start bitching behind your back about how much you and/or your partner spent and whether you can afford it and seriously, it's no one's business. We recently found out that the price of engagement rings in Ireland starts at about €2,000 and the average cost is €4,500. Bear in mind the fact that many newly engaged/married couples are also trying to get a mortgage with a diamond putting a fairly heavy dent in that deposit money, and we all know the hellish situation that is the Irish property market. That's before you even get started on the honeymoon in some far-flung destination complete with crystal clear water and sandy beaches that you must go on for Instagram purposes, if not to celebrate the fact you've just married your favourite person in the world. Like I said I love gems, ALL the gems, but this is the real world. Unless you're Jennifer Lopez (who was given a €3.5m gem from Marc Anthony) or Kim Kardashian (she got a €4m ring from Kanye West) or a Middleton sister (Kate wears a €350K rock while Pippa's is worth €250K) no one should aspire to wear a piece of jewellery that's worth more than a car. By all means shine bright like a diamond - but when that shine comes courtesy of credit card debt, we'd rather find another way to sparkle.