Gold has a way of warming a face. Catch it in the mirror on a dull morning and it lifts the whole look, which is part of why so many of us reach for it without quite thinking about why.

Gold has a way of warming a face. Catch it in the mirror on a dull morning and it lifts the whole look, which is part of why so many of us reach for it without quite thinking about why.

For a long time pearls sat in a particular box in most people’s minds: the single strand kept for weddings, the studs borrowed from a grandmother, something saved for best and worn twice a decade.

We have all bought a piece on impulse, worn it twice, and watched it lose its shine in a drawer. And most of us have a few pieces we reach for almost every day, the ones that have earned their place.

You reach up to adjust a pair you have worn happily for years and there it is, a small ache at the lobe that was not there last week.

There is always that small hesitation at the edge of the pool, in the shower, or as the kettle steams and your hands are full. You glance at the chain you forgot to take off and wonder whether it will be fine.

There is a kind of jewellery you notice slowly. No logo announcing itself, no obvious price tag, just a fine gold chain that sits well and catches the light when someone turns their head.