Gold Pendant Necklaces

From hammered amulets to brilliantly encrusted dangles, gold pendant necklaces offer a remarkable range of luxury. While some reflect refinement, others tell their own story, revealing something of history of both the vintage pendant necklace and its wearer.

The earliest pendant necklaces include some of the oldest known jewels. From elegant baubles to talismanic charms, our world’s ancient cultures incorporated pendants into their adornment, with gold accents included only for the wealthiest members of society. As jewelry making became more refined, pendants took on more complex designs, giving way to the rich variety of pendants available today.

Adding to the rich variety of gold pendant necklaces was the innovative development of white gold. Originally invented in the 19th century as an alloy with palladium, white gold catapulted to popularity in the 1920s, in part because it offered the crisp look of platinum without the hefty price tag. Today’s white gold is more commonly made from an alloy of copper, zinc, and either nickel or a less allergy-prone substitute.

Quick Facts

• The carat measurement of gold refers to the purity of the gold. Gold, for example, that is 24 karat is 100 percent gold, while 18 karat is 75 percent pure
• The ancient Babylonians were the first to test the purity of gold using fire assay, which involved heating a combination of gold, lead, salt, and grains in a sealed vessel over several days to separate the gold from other ores
• The discovery of gold in the United States first dates to 1799, when a 17-pound gold nugget was unearthed in North Carolina