This vermeil pendant with a garnet pairs the stone's deep, saturated colour with the warmth of a gilded setting. The faceted cut breaks light into small flashes that shift, as the pendant turns, from deep purple to an almost black red. It's a big, striking stone of natural origin - a specimen this densely coloured, with no flaws visible to the naked eye, is easy to overlook among average garnets, and a second one like it is hard to come by. The pendant's form draws on vintage style, with a smooth, simple silhouette that doesn't draw attention away from the stone.

Garnets are rising in price along with silver, so a well-chosen stone at a reasonable price is a smart pick today. Vermeil here means a layer of 18-carat gold applied over sterling silver 925, in a thickness meeting the French standard, confirmed by the struck V mark - it's the gold, not the silver, that touches the skin, so even sensitive skin wears this pendant without irritation. Beneath the gilding lies refined European silver, a pure core free of nickel and additives that could cause sensitivity. The French maker's mark struck on the piece attests to the origin of this silver.

It looks best worn in an all-black outfit - a black top or a turtleneck at the throat create a backdrop against which the garnet's deep red immediately draws the eye. The pendant sits right at the neckline, so every turn of the head reveals its facets anew. It suits evening looks, but works just as well finishing off a simple, everyday outfit with vintage lines. The stone's big size means the pendant wears as a distinct, standalone piece of jewellery at the neck.