Hermes Etrier Bracelet Yellow Gold Swift Calfskin and Metal H100016F 89T2

Yellow gold gets a bad reputation for looking dated, which usually means the metal was doing all the talking. Here it is only the closure: a compact stirrup-shaped fitting, plated in yellow gold, holding a slim braided cord of Swift calfskin on wrists that measure 5.7 to 6.1 inches. The metal punctuates the leather rather than competing with it, and the whole bracelet is made in Italy.

At 0.12 inches the braid is slim and rounded rather than flat, and it secures by passing through the stirrup fitting, so nothing digs into the underside of your wrist. Worn daily, the leather softens: Swift is smooth and lightly grained, and it takes the shape of the wrist within a fortnight of regular wear.

I like this one best with olive, navy and charcoal, the colours that make yellow gold look considered rather than bright, and with a rolled white shirt sleeve in summer. It also sits well beside a leather watch strap in a darker tan, since the two leathers read as a set. For evenings, it disappears politely under a jacket cuff and shows only the stirrup when you move.

Honest expectations: yellow gold plated hardware slowly warms and dulls with skin contact, and the calfskin braid will darken where it passes through the metal. Both changes suit the style of the piece, but if you want it to stay bright, wipe the metal with a soft dry cloth and keep the leather away from water and scent. Made in Italy.