Baltic Amber Pendant Designs Crosses, Large Cabochons and Mini Pendants
Handmade amber pendant jewelry, carefully crafted by artisans out of the top grade Baltic amber and set in both high polished sleek sterling silver mountings or dark, antique finishes that resemble pewter, are available online through a small company called JeGem, who despite being small have very impressive collections.
They offer unique creations like cabochon amber cross pendant designs that incorporate up to 6 large, oval shaped cabochons, as well as others like the delicate silver filigree crosses with a single accenting amber gemstone. They also have classic amber heart pendant creations and modern geometric designs, some that feature intricately carved silver embellishments and others that gracefully highlight the fossils of the translucent honey-colored resinous gems.
We begin by recommending this company, JeGem, because they are not a manufacturer of mass-produced jewelry, but a distributor of handcrafted pieces that are designed by artists and forged by silversmiths who take pride in presenting some of the rarest gems, in the case of amber, unusual and high quality Baltic specimens.
Since each piece is unique, and the fossil of each gem is a singular formation that is not possible to duplicate, the way in which the individual item can be viewed prior to purchasing is very important. This is another reason we suggest JeGem since they clearly show different angles of their jewelry so it’s very easy to view the amber’s translucence and color as well as the fossil that makes each item unique. While other precious gems like diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds may be valued for their brilliant sparkle, and may therefore require only a small stone to accent a piece of jewelry, amber’s appeal is partly about size, about chunky shapes, large cabochons of transparent yellow-orange, and about the strange formations that are better seen in large gems than smaller ones.
When it comes to earrings or bracelets and even some amber necklaces, the stones may be cut into small shapes or even delicate beads, but rings and amber pendants are usually large…in most cases, the bigger the better. Some pendants can be over 2 inches long (or wide), and some of the designs that have multiple cabochons inlaid in the cross pendants are 2.7 x 1.4 x 0.25, which is quite a necklace embellishment! However since amber is light, even the pendants with huge cabochons may weigh just over 10 or 13 grams, including the silver.
Made In Poland
Another company that offers unique large amber pendant creations from Baltic gems is Andzia’s Amber Jewelry. We are impressed with many f their items, but the Irish Cross they feature is quite a masterpiece, with 5 cognac cabochons in a simplified Gaelic motif, accented with a sterling silver circle. It’s an inch wide and 2 and a quarter inches long and is sold complete with an 18 inch silver snake style chain that fits through the large bale at the top of the pendant. This gorgeous amber cross pendant is made in Poland and retails online for around $77.
Unique Celtic Green Amber Pendant
Andzia’s also has a fabulous 1 inch pendant that has a central green amber cabochon, measuring about 5/8 of an inch, with 8 twisting silver Celtic knots protruding out from the center like rays. The cabochon is a translucent green and the silver is tarnish free. It costs just $43 and comes with a matching silver chain ready to wear. This design also comes in the classic cognac color if you prefer.
Amber Ying and Yang
Since the origins of pendants lies in the realms of talismans, amulets and charms, it’s no wonder that religious symbols and ancient motifs still tend to be the most popular. Amber itself has been used for luck, as a mystic source of health and prosperity, and in Europe, during the rule of the Teutonic Knights, it is said that amber was so sacred it was only allowed in rosaries. It is no surprise that a vast majority of motifs in pendants that have amber are Celtic, crosses, hearts and other symbols of faith, courage and religious devotion. In a bit of a twist on traditional European designs, and in a form that blends East and West, with a theme of Ying and Yang, is the pendant with two opposite shaped stones…..modern yet ancient….set in a sleek polished silver swirl that joins the two halves. It’s actually called Sunset Sunrise and is for sale through Andzia’s for just under $60.
Delicate Amber Mini Pendant Designs
Although the vast majority of pendants are large, there are some delicate amber mini pendants that are suitable for young adults and children or for those who want a more subtle piece of jewelry.
One style that works well both for earrings and pendants is the simple teardrop design or small round beads or balls, in single or double settings. These mini pendants are usually very inexpensive, even when crafted by hand in silver and featuring gorgeous little fossils inside the teardrops or spheres. Between $35 and $45 you can get a lovely piece that will include the chain if you choose to shop at the places we have recommended.
We show you a couple images, however they are large in order to show the translucency of the gem and the delicate fossil within, but in reality the teardrop design is only 1.6 by .5 inch, and the two round balls together, including the silver mounting, only measure 1.35 x .5, and they are both very light.
One last comment regarding the metals used to accent and mount amber in jewelry settings. Please be aware that it is very rare to find this affordable gemstone set in anything other than silver, partly because it is desirable to keep the creations as affordable as possible, and partly because the artisans who create these works of jewelry art are often small designers who cannot afford to work with gold or platinum.
There is very little demand for such a relatively cheap gemstone to be set in expensive metals, and therefore, if you see a shop that advertises that it has a gold amber pendant for sale, this usually will refer to the “gold color” of the amber stone and not to the metal mounting or setting used in crafting the jewelry.
If you would like to know more about this gorgeous Baltic gem, or if you would appreciate ideas on what’s available in Amber Bracelets, Amber Earrings, where to get good Amber Gifts, or Tips To Accent Your Wardrobe, please choose another related topic and discover more about The Phenomenon Behind What You Are About to Buy.
