I saw the most amazingly bejewelled woman yesterday. She was only wearing three pieces of jewellery – diamond solitaire earrings, a diamond solitaire ring and one other ring, a cushion cut. And just before you think I’m a total bore, I’d say there was about 25 carats between the four diamonds, all of which were dazzlingly colourless and of clarity so high they could not fail to be noticed (even if their size was somehow overlooked). Bear in mind my obsession with jewellery (and my training as a gemmologist) and you might forgive me for acting like a teenager who stumbled across Harry Styles in her local newsagent. Why am I sharing this? Well, mainly because I am still thinking about it, this unreal jewellery moment that surprised me as I browsed in a shop at 2pm in the afternoon. This was the ultimate in quiet, luxurious style – the proud owner of the aforementioned jewels was low key, quiet, dressed simply. Her look was so crisp and so clean, I could only liken it to a freshly ironed white shirt. Completely classic and forever in style, it was a total palette cleanser – and that’s another reason for discussing it. This brief, fleeting moment immediately inspired my mindset as a new season beckons. Like the gusts of wind that are starting to pick up, this was a breath of fresh air. Classic and understated is always in style, so as we get back to school, work and routine, it’s time to revisit our jewellery wardrobe and remove anything that might be superfluous. One or two gleaming gold rings; a pair of diamond studs with a plain sweater. A silver cuff and a stainless steel watch. Simple style is sometimes better – whatever form it may take. NS x