Hermes Mini Clic Kelly Bracelet Plain Enamel Rose Gold Noir H200004FO01GM

Black enamel on rose gold is the most wardrobe-proof thing in this collection, and the Mini Clic Kelly wears it with a plainness that flatters almost everything, which is why it lives in my travel case.

The band is 0.31 inches across, sized for a 6.7-inch wrist, glossy noir lacquer over rose-gold plated metal, with the Kelly lock as the closure. Black here does not read as mourning or as severe minimalism; on the wrist it looks like a piece of fine stationery, crisp, exact and slightly formal.

I wear mine with a black dress and with a striped shirt, with jeans on a weekend and with a suit at a client meeting. It is the bracelet I pack when I cannot decide, because nothing clashes with it, including other jewellery, which is rare for black; the rose gold keeps it friendly next to both yellow gold and silver. On a long trip it has quietly become the only bracelet I reach for.

Trade-offs worth knowing: black gloss shows dust and smudges more than any other colour, so a pocket cloth is a good companion, and plated enamel has the usual dislikes, namely perfume, chlorine and hot water. Mine comes off at the sink and has stayed flawless.

Made in France, and a good first Kelly clic for anyone who is unsure about colour, or who simply wants one bracelet that works with all of them.