Six garnets come together in a hanging design that reveals a new depth of colour with every turn of the head. The faceted cut breaks light into small flashes, and the stone holds to a deep purple with a rust-tinged undertone - intense, but never heavy. The classic, elongated shape of the earrings sits well along the neckline and follows the movement of hair tucked behind the ear without disrupting the line of the face.

Each garnet was inspected individually before being matched into this pair - what mattered was depth of colour and clarity, and the result is high quality at a price that remains reasonable. The availability of fine stones is limited by nature itself, and the price of silver and precious metals keeps rising month by month. At the core of these earrings is refined sterling silver 925 of European quality, coated with a thick layer of 18-carat gold to vermeil standard - it is the gold, not the silver, that touches the skin, and its presence is confirmed by the stamped V mark. The alloy contains no nickel or other harmful metal additives, so even sensitive skin wears it without irritation. The piece is signed with a maker's mark registered with the French assay office, which attests to the origin of the metal.

These earrings sit well alongside a soft, chunky-knit sweater, especially in monochromatic combinations of grey, beige or deep bottle green. Hair gathered into a loose bun or swept behind the ear reveals the full length of the design and lets the stone catch the light with every turn of the head. At 1.9 grams, they wear comfortably all day, and in the evening, letting your hair down is enough to let the deep purple of the garnet come through more strongly by candlelight.