Gold Cross Pendant Iced Out

Gold Cross Pendant Iced Out (4.1 x 2.1 cm) Fully Set With VVS CZ Stones

A cross pendant set with VVS CZ stones across its whole surface, with no flat sections of metal between them. At 4.1 by 2.1 cm this is a pendant that is emphatically visible and does not disappear under a shirt. The gold-tone finish is applied in five layers of PVD.

Product details

• Base material: copper alloy, nickel-free

• Finish: gold-tone, 5x PVD

• Stones: VVS CZ (simulated diamond)

• Dimensions: 4.1 cm long x 2.1 cm wide

• Delivered in a Carpe Ice jewellery box

Why a Copper Alloy and Not Steel

A fully set pendant calls for dozens of small settings that meet each other precisely. Copper can be worked more finely than steel, so those settings sit tightly together and almost no metal stays visible between the stones. That is why virtually every serious iced out piece is built on a copper base. Copper is also denser than hollow steel, which gives the pendant the weight that lets it hang calmly instead of bouncing with every movement.

Five Layers of PVD Over the Copper Base

The gold colour is applied with PVD, physical vapour deposition: the material is bonded at molecular level inside a vacuum chamber rather than laid on galvanically, at Carpe Ice in five layers. That makes the finish noticeably harder and more scratch-resistant than an ordinary gold layer. On a pendant most of the wear sits around the bail where the chain runs through, exactly where an ordinary layer would go first. The alloy underneath is nickel-free.

Which Chain Goes With It

At this size you want a chain that can carry the pendant without disappearing beneath it. A cuban, rope or box chain of 3mm or wider works well; finer links look too light under a pendant of 4.1 cm. Choose the same gold colour where you can, so pendant and chain match in tone. A length of 55 to 60 cm brings the pendant out on the chest, where its size shows to best effect.

Keeping It Sparkling

A copper alloy is more sensitive to moisture than steel, so this is a piece for going out rather than for the gym. Take the pendant off before showering, swimming and training, apply fragrance before you put it on, and store it dry in the box it came in. There is a layer on it, including on the silver-tone version, because that colour is PVD over copper here; only the silver-tone pieces in bare steel have no layer and can stay on. Dust collects between the stones, and that is what dulls the sparkle first; a dry, soft toothbrush lifts it out. Do not use an ultrasonic bath or abrasives.