Religious Gold Necklaces

A cross is the plain form. A crucifix carries the corpus, the figure of Christ, applied to the cross. The two words are often used interchangeably in conversation, but they describe different pieces, and a listing will normally state which one it is.

At comparable dimensions a crucifix is generally the heavier of the two, because of the added figure.

It is a devotional medal carrying an image of the Virgin Mary, associated with the Marian apparitions reported in Paris in 1830. It is usually oval and is one of the most widely worn Catholic medals.

Medals of this kind are typically smaller than a crucifix of similar standing, so they tend to sit closer to the neck.

A pendant hangs below the chain's own length, so the finished position is the chain length plus the pendant's drop. A large crucifix on an eighteen-inch chain sits considerably lower than a small medal on the same chain.

Where either measurement is not shown on a listing, ask for it before buying rather than judging scale from a photograph.

Yes, and it is common to do so. Two things need checking when you do: the bail, which is the loop on the pendant that the chain passes through, has to pass over the chain, and the chain has to suit the pendant's weight.

Bail openings vary between designs, so check the two against each other rather than assuming they will pair.

A rosary necklace takes the structure of the rosary and renders it as a piece worn at the neck, with the decade divisions worked into the chain itself.

It is longer than a pendant necklace by construction, because the full sequence has to fit. A traditional rosary is held rather than worn, so the two are related but not interchangeable.

They are frequently bought for those occasions. The detail that matters most is size: a piece scaled for an adult will look large on a child.

Check the stated dimensions of both the pendant and the chain, and choose the length against the wearer rather than the design.