Pendants are among the simplest and most common kinds of jewelry for humans today, consisting of a decorative centerpiece that hangs from the end of a necklace, bracelet, or earring. When pendants are directly attached to clothing or accessories by means of hooks, clasps, or pins, they are referred to as brooches.
Pendant necklaces are easily the most common variety of pendant, and they come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and designs. These necklaces are also available in numerous different materials, including diamonds, gold, silver, brass, glass, shell, ivory, lac, stainless steel, or some combination of these materials. Pendants are primarily worn for ornamentation, but some may choose to wear them for other reasons, including: religious purposes, self-identification via engraved names, birth stones, amulets, and indication of a relationship status.
The shapes and designs used in pendants are immensely diverse since they cater to the personal preferences of individuals; they are limited by little more than imagination and structural physics. However, there are certain shapes of pendant necklaces and other pendants that are very common. These include the following:
- Solitaire: The most popular shape for pendants is a simple, single stone which may be any sort of precious stone, semi-precious stone or valuable mineral. Solitaire stones may be cut into any shape, or left in their raw form depending on the designer.
- Flat: Flat pendants allow text, designs, or images to be etched onto the surface, which can be of virtually any dimensions.
- Cross Stone: Cross pendants are typically designed in two ways; one design has the cross itself forged entirely out of stone, mineral or gemstone, the other design featuring a cross made of metal with a stone found in the center.
- Three Stone: These pendants have three stones that are usually arranged as either a pyramid or a vertical row.
- Heart Stone: The stone is heart-shaped and is often embedded with a number of smaller stones. Diamond open hearts, gemstone hearts, and “heart keys” are common features.
- Butterfly: Pendants shaped like butterflies tend to be have very detailed designs and often include both diamonds and gemstones.
- Lockets: A locket is any pendant that opens to reveal some object encased inside, but usually, this object is a photograph or other image.
Where to Buy Pendants and Brooches
Pendants can be bought brand new at a jeweler’s shop, but there are a number of reasons to buy them at your local pawn shop. Some of the most important advantages purchasing pendants at a pawn shop has over buying new include:
- A Wider Selection: Not only newer styles of pendant necklaces, but pieces no longer carried by most jewelry shops, and even rare antiques, will be up for sale at most pawn shops. Unique, handmade items, vintage brooches, and more await.
- A Discounted Price: You will almost always pay more at a jewelry outlet than at a pawn shop, and yet, good pawn shops will only sell high-quality goods that they have personally inspected and valuated; you simply “get more for less”.
- A Place to Buy and Sell: If you eventually decide to part with a pendant or have other jewelry you wish to cash in on, you have the versatility of switching from buyer to seller when you deal at pawn shops.
Pendants are a simple, yet extremely popular form of jewelry that come in a great variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. To gain discounts on pendants that are hard to find elsewhere, try your local pawn shop.
Pinto Gold has long served Toronto by providing top-quality, used pendants and brooches at reasonable prices. Contact us today for more information, or visit us in person at our store front. We’re conveniently located near the intersection of Yonge and Eglinton, just off the Yonge University Subway Line!