Gold Cross Necklaces

A cross is the plain form; a crucifix carries the corpus, the figure of Christ. A listing will normally say which it is.

At similar dimensions a crucifix is generally heavier, because of the applied figure.

It is a cross set horizontally on the chain rather than hanging vertically, sometimes called an east-west cross. The chain usually passes through the arms rather than through a bail at the top.

Because it is fixed in that orientation, it sits flat against the neck and reads as a more contemporary design.

Diamond-cut describes small machined facets cut into the metal surface. It is a finishing technique, not a reference to diamonds.

The facets break what would be a single broad reflection into a number of smaller flashes, so a diamond-cut cross generally reads as brighter than a plain polished one of the same size.

The bail is the loop the chain passes through, and it needs to clear the chain's full width rather than its narrowest point. Bail openings differ between designs.

Where the bail opening is not stated, ask for it, particularly if you are pairing a cross with a wider chain.

A larger cross concentrates its weight on the one or two links the bail touches. Solid construction and a round-section chain such as a box or rope are the more common recommendations for that reason.

Suitability still depends on the specific pieces, so check the pairing rather than assuming it.

Add the pendant's drop to the chain length to work out where the cross will rest. On an average adult frame, eighteen inches places a small pendant at or just below the collarbone and twenty inches on the upper chest.

Neck and chest size shift both figures, so treat these as starting points.