Everyday silver pendants: styles that go with office wear

Office style in India covers a wide range, from a bank branch in Jaipur to a start-up in Bengaluru. Still, three simple rules hold across most workplaces.

First, nothing should make noise. Charms that clink against a laptop or a desk become distracting fast. Second, nothing should catch on clothing. Pendants with sharp claws or open shapes can snag a dupatta or knitwear. Third, the piece should look as good at 6 pm as at 9 am, which means it has to be comfortable enough that you forget you are wearing it.

Your neckline does most of the work in deciding what looks right.

• Collared shirt, top button open: a tiny pendant on a 16-inch chain that sits just inside the collar opening.
• Round-neck kurta or top: an 18-inch chain so the pendant rests just below the neckline rather than on it.
• V-neck kurta or blouse: a pendant whose shape echoes the V, such as a teardrop or a small bar, on a chain that ends just above the point.
• Saree with a high-neck blouse: skip the pendant and let earrings do the talking, or wear a longer 20 to 22-inch chain over the blouse.
• Blazer over a plain tee or shell top: a slightly bolder pendant works here, as the blazer frames it.

A single CZ solitaire is the most versatile office pendant there is. It adds a point of light near the face, works with Indian and western clothes, and looks just as right in a review meeting as at a team dinner afterwards.

Bar and geometric pendants, such as a small circle, square or hexagon, feel modern and tidy. They suit people who prefer a clean, minimal look. Small motifs like a leaf, a star or an initial add personality without being loud. Keep the motif under roughly two centimetres for a desk job.

Gold plated silver is worth considering if your watch or earrings are gold toned, so everything matches. Varaha's 925 silver pendants come in both silver and gold finishes, which helps if you want to coordinate with jewellery you already own.

At work, aim for one hero piece and keep the rest quiet. If your pendant has a CZ, wear small studs rather than danglers. If you wear a bold watch, choose a plain metal pendant without stones. A slim rose-gold or silver-toned watch, like the women's watches in Varaha's watch collection, pairs neatly with a delicate pendant.

Matching metals is not a strict rule anymore, but for a formal look, keeping everything in the same tone, all silver or all gold, looks most deliberate.

Office wear is long wear: eight to ten hours a day, often with perfume, hand cream and the occasional rushed lunch. A few habits keep the pendant bright:

• Put the pendant on after your perfume has dried, not before.
• Take it off when you get home, wipe it with a soft dry cloth and put it in a small pouch.
• Once every couple of weeks, wash it in lukewarm water with a drop of mild soap and dry it well.
• Check the clasp now and then. A loose jump ring is the most common reason pendants go missing.

The most common one is a chain that is slightly too long, so the pendant disappears under a neckline or bunches against a shirt button. Measure the length you like using a string before you buy. Another is wearing a festive piece to work. Heavy Kundan or Polki styles are lovely, but save them for functions. Finally, avoid pendants with many tiny dangling parts, which tangle easily and look busy on a video call.