Gold Clover Lariat Necklace with Black Onyx

A gold chain with one black clover at the base of the throat, and a second clover hanging below it on a short length of chain of its own.

Made from 925 sterling silver under a layer of 18K gold, set with black onyx.

The silver underneath is nickel-free, lead-free and cadmium-free to European standards — hypoallergenic, and comfortable against sensitive skin.

The drop is what decides where this one goes. It wants an open neckline with nothing else in it — a shirt with the top two buttons undone, or a plain scoop neck — because from across a room you see two dark points falling in a straight line, and a second chain cutting across them ruins the line entirely. Black on gold is the most legible pairing there is, so it survives bad restaurant lighting better than anything else in the batch. It arrives in a free jewellery box with a polishing cloth.

More on how gold plating over silver behaves in our guide to plated silver jewellery.