On rue du Bac, not far from the Musee d’Orsay on the Left Bank, is an 170-year old curiosities shop famous for its extensive taxidermy collection of amazing creatures. When in Paris, I always try to pay a visit to Deyrolle, and my recent visit proved to be very inspiring indeed. There, right past the Purple-Crowned Fairywren and Mexican Redknee Tarantula, in display drawer number 717, was a most remarkable butterfly with wings of purple lined in white.

Called the Purple Emperor Butterfly, this winged wonder is quite rare and is found primarily in the wooded forests of southern England. I thought such a beautiful creature with such a regal name should be preserved in an equally regal gemstone–– amethyst. So I got our designers and gem cutters to work, and the result is quite spectacular. Let this flight of fancy rest upon your finger in a sparkling display of over a half carat of amethyst rounds lined in sparkling white stones. Set in warm rose gold-finished sterling silver, this is a rare find indeed, especially at this price.