When I was 39 and about to turn the big 40 I decided that I was worth it and that I deserved a fabulous extravagant perfect ring. I got engaged to my husband when I was 18 and we were both skint and at the beginning of our careers and saving for our first house and furniture. There was no argos catalogue credit terms, credit cards were like gold dust and a loan from the bank took 8 weeks to agree after doing more checks than the us border police. So we saved hard for 10 weeks and my husband bought me a beautiful, modest, tiny, simple, reasonable ring.

    I then had a fab wedding as my dad was generous and loaded from the boom in the 80’s. We had our perfect little chocolate box cottage with dinky little furnitre all saved for and installed. I then had baies in quick sucession after our bargain honeymoon which was 1 week in majorca as a wedding present from my mum and dad and 1 week in a B&B with a smelly cat in anglesey where my husbands family come from. I then stayed at home 50 % because I wanted to raise them and my job was rubbish and 50% because the fees for two close together meant with childcare I would bring home £ 8.50 a week.

    We watched the pennies, took great uk holidays and bucket and spade beach holidays shivering in the rain and sleet. Shopped carefully for food and clothes at tesco online and drove some very dodgy cars of dubious character and history.

    So as the children went to school, I retrained at university and suddenly 2 incomes were flowing in life got easier and better. We moved house, bought new furnitre, had great holidays, bought nice clothes and gorgeous shoes along with great m&S food. So planning my 40th party and deciding to concentrate on myself once was exciting and made me feel giddy and young.

    I agreed with my husband having never had an eternity ring that I would like to buy a ring that cost £ 2000 minimum and the more extravagant the better. He agreed and I made sure we had the funds. We set off to research on the internet and then to visti jewellers. I cant believe how difficutl the task was. There was so many decisions;

    Metal – platinum, white gold, gold

    Size – thick band and simple or thin band and complex

    Settting

    Stone

    Carat

    Cut

    Clarity

    Would it look false?

    Would it make me have a rash?

    In the end the good old fashonied method worked; gaze in some windows, ooohhh and awwwww and then try two on. The first one you want that is too expensive and the second one to show your husband how bad it looks compared to the first one.  I then proudly put my party frock on, makeup, boufanted my hair again and slipped on the first ring I tried and loved at first sight that cost twice the budget.