Hermes Rodeo PM Charm Horse Charm Milo Lambskin Noir H064929CAAJ

Every collection needs an anchor, and in the Rodeo family it is the all-black horse. Noir over Noir over Noir, lambskin dyed straight through, no accent colour to explain — just the silhouette and the leather. It photographs like a shadow and carries like a friend.

The PM measures about four inches across, a shade over three tall and less than half an inch thick. In black the stitching all but disappears, which turns the charm into a small leather sculpture; you see the ears, the muzzle, the curve of the tail and little else. The eyes are stitched, not set, and somehow that reads as kind. At night, under restaurant light, it turns into polished stone.

I wear it on the one evening bag I own and on the plainest day bag I own, in both cases because black was already doing the work. It is also the charm I lend to friends who are nervous about accessories — nothing about it can be gotten wrong, and they always hand it back reluctantly. It has attended a funeral and a wedding, and was correct at both.

One honest point: black lambskin is a dust magnet and shows every crumb of lint, so a quick pass with a soft brush is part of ownership. And on a black bag it fully disappears — know that going in and keep it for contrast against colour. If you own one charm, make it one you cannot get wrong — this.