Normandy is best known for its elaborate crosses, but this Saint-Esprit pendant is equally typical.

It represents a dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit (or Saint-Esprit), flying down to earth with a branch in its beak. As well as the Holy Spirit, it also suggests the dove which brought an olive leaf to Noah, signifying man's reconciliation with God after the Flood.

The use of a Saint-Esprit in jewellery probably comes from the pendant of the chivalric Ordre du Saint-Esprit. It was used in traditional costume in other parts of France as well, particularly in the Auvergne, but the Normandy dove is the only one which carries a branch in its beak. Like many of the Normandy crosses, the Saint-Esprit was usually set with transparent rock crystals, but the branch was often decorated with coloured stones, as here. It was worn on a black velvet ribbon, fastened tightly round the neck like a choker, with a slide at the front. The ribbon passes through the bale of the pendant, and is then threaded through a hole or loop at the base of the slide, and out at either side. The ribbon is tied in a bow at the back of the neck.