Silver keychain of a sitting cat

A sitting-cat keyring set edge to edge with rhinestones

Very little bare metal shows on the front. The stones sit in close-set rows that step across the curves, so the head and body catch light from almost any angle rather than only face-on. Only the eyes and nose break the pattern, in black stones, while the whiskers are engraved rather than set. Between the ears sits a white bow with iridescent glints, smooth apart from the single stone at its centre. The tail is left bare as well, sweeping round the right-hand side in one polished line, and that single plain curve is what keeps the cat from reading as a solid block of sparkle.

The back is cut through with small hearts

Turn it over and the piece changes character. The whole reverse, head included, is pierced with small heart shapes rather than left as a flat backing. It is the sort of finish that usually goes unphotographed, and it earns its place twice over: it takes weight out of the charm, and it means the keyring still looks right when it spins round on a bag.

How this 6 cm charm clips on

The fittings come in two parts: a flat split ring for the keys themselves, and a swivel lobster clasp that will take a bag strap, a belt loop or a zip pull. The swivel is the useful bit day to day, since it lets the cat turn instead of twisting the ring every time you pull the keys out of a pocket. The height below is measured on the cat alone.

On a strap it is easy to spot from a distance, and it shows up best against a plain dark fabric; a busy print swallows the sparkle. For scale, the other cats and characters on the key chains shelf show how the metal and plush sides of the range compare before you commit to one.

If you are matching the charm to the bag rather than the other way round, the handbag range, plain and printed is the shelf to start from.

Keeping a close-set pavé clean

Dust settles between stones packed this tightly, and it dulls the whole surface long before any single stone loses its shine. A dry cloth drawn along the rows brings the sparkle back, and a soft brush reaches what collects in the hearts on the reverse. Keep it away from sprayed perfume and from standing water.