A warm, honey-brown tiger's eye cabochon opens this pendant with a subtle play of light across its bands. This is a variety of quartz with a silky sheen - turn the stone in your hand and bright streaks shift across the surface, as if travelling beneath it. The simple, modern setting doesn't distract from this effect, and the silver rim closes the cabochon with a clean, geometric line. In older traditions tiger's eye was linked to stability and the ability to restore one's strength - today it's simply a stone with character that wears well.

We assess every cabochon before setting, looking at the pattern of the bands and the depth of colour, since this determines how the stone will behave in light. Good specimens of tiger's eye are becoming harder to find, and nature itself limits their availability. Silver and precious metals are rising in price, so pieces of this quality at a reasonable price turn up less often than they used to. The setting is refined 925 sterling silver, extracted and refined in Europe, coated with a layer of rhodium that protects the surface against tarnishing and dulling - the shine stays bright for a long time. The alloy contains no nickel or other allergenic additives, so the pendant can be worn without worry of irritation. The piece bears a maker's mark registered with the French assay office, which confirms the metal's origin.

The pendant sits close to the neckline, so it pairs well with a lace top in powder pink or a blouse with a small floral print. With a pastel-toned dress it enhances a soft, romantic look, and with a round-neck knit sweater it warms up the whole outfit with its rich brown tone. It also works well with a ruffle-collar blouse, where the stone naturally draws the eye without disrupting the delicacy of the overall look. Its medium size and light weight of 2.3 g make it comfortable to wear all day long.