Most of us have one piece we would reach for first if the house were on fire, and it is rarely the most expensive one. That instinct says a great deal.

Most of us have one piece we would reach for first if the house were on fire, and it is rarely the most expensive one. That instinct says a great deal.

Standing in front of the mirror holding a pair of earrings up to each ear is a small ritual most of us know well. Something feels right, or it does not, and it is not always clear why.

Most jewellery drawers hold two kinds of pieces. There are the small, fine ones you put on without thinking and wear for days, and the bigger, bolder ones you save for when you want to feel a little more dressed.

A choker can feel like the boldest thing in the jewellery box: it sits high, close to the throat, and asks to be noticed. That can make it feel like a piece reserved for the brave, when really it is one of the easiest necklaces…

By the last week of term, the card has been signed and the question is still open. You want to say thank you to someone who has spent a year looking after your child, and a tin of biscuits feels a little thin for that.

There is a quiet moment most of us know well: standing at the mirror before heading out, holding a single pendant against the collarbone and wondering whether to wear it alone or pile on a few more chains.