Hermes Glenan Double Tour Bracelet Silver Swift Calfskin and Metal Mauve Sylvestre H071689FPX9T2

The Glenan closure is quieter than the Roulis, and on a mauve leather braid that restraint is exactly right. The braid here is 0.12 inches wide, wrapped twice for a wrist between 5.7 and 6.1 inches, in a dusted lavender-mauve that turns almost grey in shade and faintly pink in sun. Palladium plating keeps the metal cool and unobtrusive on the arm.

What I like about this format, compared with a plain bangle, is how closely it follows the wrist. A double tour sits flat because the cord crosses itself at the closure, so the bracelet stays put during the day, whether you are carrying a bag on that arm or typing. The work comes from Italy, and the braid is dense and even, with no ends in sight.

Mauve is one of those colours that people avoid and then regret avoiding. Worn with grey, it looks sophisticated; with navy, it looks like a considered accent; with a denim shirt and a bare arm, it looks like summer. I tend to wear mine without a watch, letting the two thin lines of leather be the whole point of that wrist, with a single ring on the other hand as balance.

Two honest notes. Swift calfskin is smooth and fine-grained, so a sharp zip can leave a mark, and the very thing that makes the colour beautiful, a soft dyed surface, is what makes it sensitive to water and oily creams. Keep it dry, avoid perfume on the wrist, and store it loose in the pouch. Made in Italy.