Hermes Mini Maillon Earrings Lacquered Metal Rose Gold Noir H100052FO03

Black enamel and rose gold is the combination I recommend to anyone who wants one pair of earrings to survive a working week and a dinner without a change in between.

The Mini Maillon is a chain-link motif, two centimetres tall by 1.2 wide, and the glossy noir lacquer sits inside a rose-gold plated frame that outlines every curve of the link. At four grams apiece they have real presence on the lobe, noticeably more than a stud, without quite tipping into statement territory.

I wear mine with a navy suit on Monday and a silk shirt on Friday, and they never look out of place. The black reads as an accessory rather than a colour, which is why it works with everything, while the rose gold keeps it from turning severe. They are also easy to put on: the post is short, the butterfly holds, and no mirror gymnastics are required.

Two practical notes. Four grams is light for an earring but heavier than the tiny studs many of us are used to, so give a fresh piercing a full day before you wear them for eight hours at a stretch. And black gloss shows smudges and dust more readily than lighter shades, so a quick wipe with a soft cloth keeps them looking new.

Finally, the standard rules for plated pieces apply: last thing on before you leave, first thing off when you get home, well away from perfume, hairspray and chlorinated pools.