Real stories · A little faith, worn daily

A Little Faith, Worn Daily

A small cross set in a soft pearly oval, on a chain light enough to forget — a little faith, worn daily. That's the whole of it, and it's become the first thing I put on in the morning.

I've had cross necklaces before, of course. The serious gold one that lives in a box and comes out for christenings; the one with the clasp I can't manage anymore. What I didn't have was the everyday one — something quiet enough for the supermarket and lovely enough for Sunday, that goes on once and simply stays.

The Serenique, from York Boutique — a British label I order from often — is exactly that: a vintage-style oval in a soft pearly white with a delicate cross set into it, on a fine gold-tone chain that adjusts to sit where you want it.

The design is the quiet part of its charm. The cross sits inside the pale oval rather than hanging alone, which is why it reads as gentle rather than loud — faith at a conversational volume, as our vicar's wife put it. It weighs next to nothing, the chain doesn't tangle or tug, and it goes with everything from a jumper to the good coat.

Faith at a conversational volume — on at eight, forgotten by nine, there all day.

It's listed at £40 and sells for £19.95 — half — because York Boutique sell direct from their own site with no middleman. At that price I ordered the soft blue one as well, for my friend Margaret's sister Joan, who had a hard year and keeps her faith close.

I'll admit I did check before ordering that I could send it back if it looked cheap in person — you can, within a fortnight, and the delivery's free — but it's dainty and nicely made, and Joan's hasn't been off since the box opened, I'm told.

It comes in three soft shades — white, pink and blue — and with the gift season coming, a small meaningful necklace at £19.95 quietly solves several people at once. Order before the gift rush does what it always does.