Dangle and drop earrings set with two garnets draw the eye with the depth of their colour - a deep purple with a warm, ruby-like flash that reveals itself when light hits the facets directly. The faceted cut means each facet reflects differently: the stone is not uniform but layered. The form is compact and clean - no unnecessary elements, just the stone suspended at the ear in a way that works with a modern, minimalist silhouette.

Every garnet is assessed before it goes into the setting - what matters is colour saturation and clarity, because these determine how the stone behaves in light. Silver has risen in price, and good garnets are increasingly hard to come by, so this price is genuinely reasonable. The earrings are made using the vermeil technique: refined sterling silver 925 of European quality forms the core, and the surface is a layer of 18-carat gold at least 5 microns thick - this gold is what touches the skin. Compliance with the vermeil standard is confirmed by the stamped V mark. The alloy contains no nickel or other harmful metal additives, so the earrings cause no allergic reactions or sensitivities. The French maker's mark stamped on the piece, registered at the French assay office, guarantees the quality of the metal and its origin.

They look best with a total black look: a black roll-neck or a plain black top creates the backdrop against which the purple gleam of the garnet at the face does all the work. Dark hair pinned up exposes the ears and lets the stone draw the eye along the line of the neck.