Hermes Gigi 50 Sandal Women High Heel Sandal Calfskin Silver Kelly Buckle Noir H231063Z 02355

Palladium on black is a cooler proposition than gold on black, and on the Gigi 50 it changes the character of the sandal: the buckle disappears into the calfskin except for a silver edge of light, which makes a formal shoe feel suddenly easier to wear with denim.

Under the upper sit a sole and heel of black leather, plus a black goatskin lining, so the whole shoe is black from every angle except the buckle. The heel is five centimetres, about two inches, and the calfskin holds the shape of the foot without gripping it.

My own pair does office days and evening walks in the same week. With a grey suit the silver reads sharp; with a summer dress it reads almost sporty, which is a trick I did not expect from a five-centimetre heel.

One honest caution: a leather sole and a leather heel are beautiful in dry weather and hopeless in the wet, so check the forecast. On smooth marble they slip until the sole has a little wear, and I protect the toe and heel corners from day one.

Worn hard and stored properly, the calfskin creases only where the foot bends and the plating holds its cooler tone without chipping; mine has kept both through two warm seasons. Sizes 36 to 41, made in Italy. The black sandal for people who think gold is not their metal.