Hermes Seahorse Charm Milo Lambskin Orange Poppy Bleu Aztèque Lime H084738CAAG

A seahorse charm struck me as a gimmick until I owned one. Twelve-point-seven centimetres of curled Milo lambskin, it is less a piece of jewellery than a tiny sculpture you happen to carry — and on a plain bag it reads as wit, not whimsy. It is also the only charm I have ever caught a taxi driver smiling at.

The proportions — L 5.5 x H 12.7 x D 1 cm — make it tall and slim: it slips down inside a bag, hangs like a bookmark from a zipper, and looks especially good on the outside of a bucket bag where the curve of the tail can show. The lanyard is already fitted and knotted at the right length. The curl of the tail is stitched tight so it holds its question-mark shape.

Mine is Orange Poppy with a Bleu Aztèque spine and Lime flashes — a full palette on thirteen tall centimetres of leather. It spends summers attached to a straw market basket, where it looks like it swam in from the coast. Guests ask about it more than any other object in the house, which my books resent. It has survived two summers of salt air and one long hamster inspection.

Caveats for honest buyers: the seahorse is playful, and playful pieces have a shelf life in some wardrobes; also its height means it swings, so keep it off bags with delicate chain hardware. If your style has no room for joy, this is not the charm.