14K Gold Pendants

Work from the millimetre dimensions on the listing rather than the photograph, which necessarily fills the frame and makes everything look similar in size.

Mark the stated height and width on a ruler and hold it against your chest at roughly the height the pendant will sit. It takes seconds and resolves most of the uncertainty.

As a rule, smaller pendants suit everyday wear under clothing, and larger ones want a longer chain and an open neckline to hang clear.

Because shape changes how large a pendant reads. An elongated form such as a cross or a bar draws the eye down its full length and reads larger than a round pendant of the same height.

Open or pierced designs read lighter than solid ones with the same outline, because skin shows through them.

When comparing two designs, look at the outlines together rather than only at the stated measurements.

Yellow gold is the traditional choice and reads warm against most skin. White gold reads cooler and more contemporary. Rose gold is the warmest of the three.

Against a coloured stone, a cool metal lets the stone's own colour carry and a warm metal adds warmth to it.

The most practical guide is what the wearer already owns. A two-tone or tricolor pendant sidesteps the question, since it contains more than one colour already.

It depends on the design, and each listing says which. Some pendants are supplied on their own to hang from a chain of your choosing; others come complete.

Buying a pendant on its own is the more flexible route if you already own chains, or if you want to change the height it sits at from time to time.

If you are pairing it with a chain you already have, check the fitting at the top of the pendant against the widest point of that chain, including its clasp.

Something small, smooth and without protruding edges. A pendant worn continuously needs to pass under clothing and through a night's sleep without catching.

Low-profile settings and rounded outlines do that best. Tall settings and sharp points catch on knitwear and hair.

Weight matters less at the neck than it does on an ear, so a modest pendant in solid gold is entirely practical for constant wear.

Some designs have a plain back or a smooth surface intended for it, and the listing states where that is the case along with any character limit.

Engraving is what turns a pendant into a record of a particular occasion, which is why so many gift pieces are engraved.

Personalised pieces are made to the text supplied and are generally not returnable once engraved, so check spelling and dates before confirming.

It is one of the safest choices in jewelry, because a pendant needs no measurement at all - unlike a ring, it fits anyone.

The only variable is the chain length, and an eighteen-inch chain suits most adults.

If the pendant is being chosen for its meaning rather than its scale, err on the smaller side: a piece that is comfortable enough to stay on gets worn.

The bail is the loop or fitting at the top through which the chain passes. It is easy to overlook in a photograph and it decides more about how a piece wears than most buyers expect.

Its opening sets the maximum chain width the pendant will accept, so a heavy curb chain will not thread through a bail cut for a fine cable. A hinged or enhancer-style bail opens, which lets a pendant be moved between chains without unfastening the clasp.

A fixed bail holds the piece square to the chain; a free-running one lets it swing and turn. Neither is better, but a flat design shows its face more reliably on a fixed bail.

Far less than a ring. A pendant hangs clear and meets almost nothing, so it keeps its finish for years with very little attention.

The one place that does see constant contact is the loop at the top, where the chain runs through it. On a piece worn permanently that is worth glancing at occasionally.

White gold pendants are usually rhodium-plated, and that plating lasts far longer on a pendant than on a ring because the piece is handled so much less.

Warm water, a little mild soap and a soft brush, working around the back of the setting and into any detail where residue collects. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a soft cloth.

Put the pendant on after perfume, hairspray and lotion have dried rather than before - chemical contact does more harm than wear does.

Where a coloured stone is set, avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaning, and store the piece flat so the chain cannot tangle around it.