Four faceted amethysts join in a light, dangling line that catches the light differently with every turn of the head. The facets break the violet into small glimmers, so the stone never sits as a flat block of colour but shimmers in waves from a lighter pink to a deep purple. The minimalist setting doesn't distract from this play of colour - a thin line of metal leads the eye straight to the amethyst. In old jewelry tradition, amethyst was linked to calm and clarity of mind, a symbol of balance that people liked to wear close to the face.

Each of the four stones was examined individually and chosen for its pure, saturated colour, so at a reasonable price you get a natural stone that has been carefully selected. Silver is rising in price, and good amethysts of this quality are becoming harder to find, so there's good reason to buy now. The core of the earrings is pure, refined sterling silver 925, covered with a thick layer of 18-carat gold in line with the vermeil standard - confirmed by the stamped V mark. It's the gold, not the silver, that touches the skin, and the alloy, free of nickel and other harmful additions, doesn't cause allergies or irritation. The piece is also stamped with the French maker's mark, which attests to the origin of the silver.

This shape works well with the light ease of summer styling: a flowing linen dress, pale shades of beige or ecru and hair pinned up high so the earrings can fall freely along the line of the neck. The violet of the amethyst brings out tanned skin and light fabrics, and with a simple, sleek updo it becomes a natural finishing touch for the face. The medium size keeps the earrings noticeable without being heavy, so they work just as well over morning coffee as they do on the terrace in the evening.