The deep, dark violet of the amethyst in a cabochon cut meets a distinctly vintage silhouette here, the band encircled by a wreath of sixteen small cubic zirconia stones. The stone shifts shade with every movement of the hand - in shadow it deepens almost to purple, in light it brightens and reveals the depth within. A form like this, with a prominent, centrally set stone and an open-work setting, works equally well as an engagement ring or a promise ring - a symbol given before the real question is asked. In traditional jewelry craft, amethyst was associated with calm and clarity of mind, which suits the nature of such a declaration well.

For this piece we chose an amethyst with an exceptionally even, saturated colour and a clear interior free of visible flaws - it was precisely this clarity that decided its selection. Silver and good coloured stones rise in price year after year, so a ring of this quality at this price is a sound choice today. Refined European silver, sterling silver 925, has been coated with a layer of rhodium that protects the surface against tarnishing and loss of shine - the brilliance lasts a long time, even with everyday wear. The alloy contains no nickel or other metals known to cause skin irritation, so the ring does not irritate the skin. The whole piece bears the French maker's mark, which attests to the origin of the metal.

Day to day, it sits well with a soft, chunky-knit sweater, especially in monochrome outfits - grey, beige or deep charcoal give the amethyst's violet room to draw the eye without competing with the rest of the look. In autumn and winter it pairs with wool sweaters in muted tones, in summer with a linen shirt with the sleeve rolled up. This version, in medium size and weighing 3.3 grams, sits lightly on the finger, not weighing down the hand during everyday activities.