A lapis lazuli cabochon opens up this ring with a deep navy blue, flecked with tiny glints of golden pyrite that scatter like irregular stars across a night sky. The vintage silhouette of the band, with its clearly defined basket setting, recalls jewelry making of past decades, and the very big stone catches the eye at once on the hand. Lapis lazuli has long been associated with intuition, idealism and inner harmony, which suits a ring intended for weddings and engagements well.

Only a small portion of the raw material reviewed makes it into this setting - what matters is depth of color and an even distribution of the golden flecks, with no cloudiness or blank patches. Refined European silver of high alloy purity forms a solid, 6.2-gram piece here, with the 925 fineness confirming the purity of that alloy. A rhodium layer protects the surface from tarnishing and loss of shine, so the ring keeps its even, cool luster for a long time. The piece is stamped with the French maker's mark, attesting to the origin of the metal. Silver and good colored stones get more expensive year after year, so a purchase like this makes sense from a price perspective today.

For everyday, weekend outfits, this ring pairs well with a chunky oversized sweater, a wool scarf and calm colors - beige, grey, deep navy. On the hand, against a sweater sleeve, the navy of the lapis lazuli stands out clearly from the soft, matte texture of the fabric. As an engagement or wedding ring, it also works well with a simpler, understated look, where the vintage form and the boldly colored stone draw all the attention to themselves.