Large Celtic Cross in Sterling Silver or Antique Bronze

This handmade pendant is a large celtic cross that is available in either .925 sterling silver or antique bronze. It is 5cm long plus the bail and 2.5cm wide. The bail can pass a 6mm wide chain. The back is textured and can accommodate an engraving.

There is a large irish population here in Montreal, and no one was making jewellery in this style. So I decided to do it! These are from a collection of master designs I got from a retiring jeweller here in Montreal. The original design dates from the 40's-50's, like many pieces in my Celtic collection.

Sterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by weight of silver and 7.5% by weight of copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925.

Bronze is an alloy that consists of a mixture of approximately 90% copper and 10% tin. Producing bronze is a less toxic process than producing brass as brass is a combination of copper and zinc, and the manufacturing process often produces zinc oxide which is toxic.

Because bronze contains copper, it can turn your skin green whether you have an allergy or not. Bronze and copper turn your skin green because when the copper reacts with your sweat and the acids from your skin, it produces copper chloride. Copper chloride is a green substance that then rubs off on your skin. If you are prone to sweating, your bronze jewelry will definitely turn your skin green. This chemical reaction can also be prevented by painting any part of the jewelry that comes in contact with your skin with clear nail polish or clear acrylic enamel.

The Celtic cross is a form of Christian cross featuring a nimbus or ring that emerged in Ireland and Britain in the Early Middle Ages. A type of ringed cross, it became widespread through its use in the stone high crosses erected across the islands, especially in regions evangelized by Irish missionaries, from the 9th through the 12th centuries. A staple of Insular art, the Celtic cross is essentially a Latin cross with a nimbus surrounding the intersection of the arms and stem. Scholars have debated its exact origins, but it is related to earlier crosses featuring rings. The form gained new popularity during the Celtic Revival of the 19th century; the name "Celtic cross" is a convention dating from that time. The shape, usually decorated with interlace and other motifs from Insular art, became popular for funerary monuments and other uses, and has remained so, spreading well beyond Ireland.