Two faceted blue topaz stones open into tiny mirrors of light with every turn of the head. The facets break the blue into flashes - from cool grey to a deeper, saturated hue - and work particularly well in this spot, close to the face and the line of the neck, where every movement of the hair reveals the earring anew. The stud form is simple and modern, with no unnecessary links, so attention stays on the stone itself.

The choice of these particular stones came down to colour and clarity - this pair was made with blue topaz of an even, clear blue, free of cloudiness. Silver and precious metals are rising in price, and good stones are becoming harder to find, so this quality at this price is a sensible choice today. The earrings are made using the vermeil technique: refined sterling silver 925 forms the core, topped with a layer of 18-carat gold at least 5 microns thick, which touches the skin and carries the entire shine. Compliance with the vermeil standard is confirmed by the stamped V mark, while the 925 fineness confirms the purity of the alloy itself. The piece also bears the French maker's mark - a mark of the metal's origin.

These earrings sit well with simple, soft sweaters and monochromatic pairings - beige with beige, grey with charcoal - where a muted background lets the blue of the topaz come fully into its own. Hair worn up reveals the ears and the line of the neck, exactly where this stone works hardest. They pair just as easily with a plain shirt as with a thin wool turtleneck, day after day, with no need for extra jewellery at the neck.