Enchanted Butterflies Necklace - Burgundy Floral Choker

A burgundy choker on a branching gold-tone wire

Start with the wire. It is thin, gold-toned and splits into shorter and shorter stems. That is what holds the design together while letting it spread unevenly. The weight falls towards the middle, around two large burgundy fabric blooms with wide, soft petals. Smaller five-petal flowers fill the space on either side, along with clusters of raspberry pearly beads and a scattering of berries in a sharp red-orange. Towards the ends the wire almost empties out and carries nothing but a few buds.

Matt fabric against glossy beads

Two finishes do most of the work here. The petals stay matt, almost velvety, while every bead throws the light straight back. That difference is why the piece reads as textured rather than simply large. The red-orange berries matter as well: warmer and sharper than the burgundy, they stop the whole thing settling into one flat shade. Petals lift away from the wire instead of lying flat, which gives the centre its depth.

38 cm, worn high on the collarbone

This is a choker rather than a long necklace. At 38 cm long it sits close to the base of the neck, above the neckline of most dresses. The 5 cm extension chain leaves room to fine-tune the fit when you try it on, which helps if chokers usually feel tight on you. The gold-tone wire stays pliable and keeps whatever curve you give it, so the cluster can be nudged back into place.

Dresses that let the burgundy show

Against black or navy the beads do the talking: the burgundy darkens and the shine is what you notice first. Put it on champagne, dusty pink or pale grey and the balance flips, with the colour becoming the strongest note in the outfit. For a daytime ceremony it works well over a matt fabric such as crepe. As a wedding guest you can treat it as your only piece of jewellery and leave the rest bare. If burgundy is not your palette, other shades in the wedding range run from pearl white through to cherry red.

Necklines, hair and earrings

The cluster takes up the full width of the collarbone, so it needs the space. A bateau neck, a strapless bodice or an open V all give it room, while a polo neck flattens it. With your hair up the bare part of the wire shows at the back of the neck, and it is better left visible because it continues the line. Keep earrings quiet: a single pearl or one small flower is plenty next to this much detail.

Look after the fabric first

The vulnerable part of this necklace is not the metal but the fabric, which marks more easily than the wire. It holds perfume and hairspray, and a drop of water leaves a ring once it dries. Three habits cover almost everything: spray perfume before the necklace goes on, store it flat rather than hanging so the wire is never pulled out of shape, and run a dry cloth over the beads at the end of the evening. Kept out of direct light, the burgundy keeps its depth.