Hermes Mini Pop H Rocabar Earrings Lacquered Metal Yellow Gold Malabar H100065F B5

Packing for a two-week trip, the pair I dropped into the zip pocket of my case was this one: Rocabar stripes, yellow-gold plating, Malabar enamel. Five cities and no lost studs later, I understood why it had been the right call.

Malabar belongs to the warmer end of the palette, which makes the stripes glow rather than sit flat, and it looks especially good with linen and sun-tanned skin. On the ear the motif is compact, barely a third of an inch tall, so it never crowds a hat brim or a sunglasses frame, which matters more than you would guess when you wear a fringe or a headscarf.

Because each earring weighs only two grams, my habit of sleeping in them on night flights has never cost me a sore lobe. The post is short and fine, which suits smaller earlobes as well as larger ones, though if you press your head into a pillow the butterfly back can dig in, so I usually take them out at the hotel. A tiny zip pouch takes up no room and has kept the pair together through a year of trips.

Honest notes: stripes plus printed clothing can compete badly, so I keep the neckline plain when these are on. Care is the standard routine for plated pieces, perfume first and earrings second, a wipe at the end of the day, and they should stay out of the pool.

Made in France, and the version of Rocabar I would choose for a holiday rather than an office.