This fab little necklace is hallmarked for silver on the T-bar clasp. It’s a bit tarnished and unloved-looking, which is probably why it only cost me £1 at a local charity shop. At 16 inches, it was also too short for me to wear comfortably – sadly, I no longer have a swan-like neck and a bit of extra length was therefore required.

I have a stash of sterling silver jump rings, findings and lengths of chain that are pressed into service for jobs like this. I used a short length of chain (salvaged from another too-short silver necklace which I now wear as a bracelet), and added a thick jump ring at each end and a silver “O” from yet another necklace. The third necklace was another charity shop find, and was by Dower and Hall. It consisted of a silver heart, a silver toggle (and the corresponding “O”) and a nylon thong. The toggle parted company from the thong as soon as I got the necklace home, backing up my oft-expressed feeling that “designer” clothes and accessories might look gorgeous and be made from luxury materials, but they often fall short when it comes to durability, washability and other important qualities.

Anyway, I’m pleased with my find, which I think will look great with summer tops!