2021 is a year of huge changes, and as summer quickly approaches, it’s time to stand out. Before you go back to life as normal, you need to stock up on the best pendants to enhance your existing chains and necklaces.

Gold pendants have been around longer than pretty much any other type of jewelry item, and the fact that they’re still a fashion staple is a testament to their quality. But if you’re new to pendant buying, or it’s just been a while, you might not even know where to start.

Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Here is everything you need to know about buying pendants in 2021 so that you can make the boldest statement possible.

Types of Pendants

The only way to go wrong with pendants is to not wear one at all. The first and most important thing you need to decide before buying a pendant is which type best suits your style.

• Symbolic pendants use images or symbols. These are arguably the most common type of pendants. They can have a sentimental meaning, such as a broken heart pendant, but you might also just like the style and appearance, like this Poptart pendant.

 Poptart Pendant

• Religious pendants are very common because of the way they combine style with religious expression. If faith means a lot to you, you can wear something like a diamond cross pendant to always keep it close to you wherever you go.

Diamond Cross Pendant

• Word pendants ditch the visuals and go for a phrase or word that you can sport around your neck. You can get someone’s name written, or you can just write a statement that has some sort of value to you.

• Lockets are another type of pendant that can have sentimental value. These often contain a small space inside where you can place something like a photograph of loved ones or a tiny message that means a lot to you. Lockets are great for commemorating the loss of a family member or for keeping your partner by your heart at all times.

Heart Locket Custom Picture Pendant

How To Wear Gold Pendants in 2021

In the past few years, simplistic designs were most popular. However, now that COVID-19 restrictions are lifting and people have been stuck wearing sweats and hoodies inside for over a year, intricate and bold designs are in.

For that reason, you may want to look for pendants that stand out from what most other people are wearing. There’s really no better way to do this than by making your own custom pendant that is truly one of a kind.

You can make your own photo pendant with whatever photo you choose or get a word pendant that has any word or phrase you can think of. It’s a simple and effective way to walk into the bar for the first time and get noticed immediately.

Not to mention, yellow gold is popular because it adds great dimension to your clothing. Especially on top of solid, dark clothing, the brassy luster of a golden pendant is unmatched. If you want to get a diamond pendant, we recommend looking into gold plating underneath.

Also, you want to make sure that your chain compliments the pendant based on its size and color. If the pendant is small, you also want the chain to stay delicate as well so it doesn’t overpower its look. Additionally, match pendant colors with chain colors so that your look doesn’t clash. In 2021, it’s all about being bold yet uniform.

Finally, shorter chains are more fashionable than longer ones at the moment. While there’s always a time and place for a giant pendant to hang down towards your belly button, 2021 seems to be trending towards smaller chains and smaller pendants. Try to keep your chain length just underneath your neck so that your pendant can still rest on top of your shirt without dangling.

Where To Buy Gold Pendants

Times are tough right now, and money is tight for a lot of people. Gold jewelry can be expensive, but you can buy affordable pendants that incorporate real gold without breaking the bank.

Gold is a relatively rare metal that takes a lot of time and effort to mine. With that in mind, its cost isn’t related to the quality of the metal itself. Luckily, you can get gold-plated pendants that don’t use solid gold. These look exactly the same, only without a hefty price tag.

Gold plating and gold vermeil are alternatives to solid gold that still allow your jewelry to look likesolidgold all the way through. A gold vermeil pendant must use sterling silver as its base metal, real gold plating of at least ten karats, and the plating must be at least 2.5 microns thick.

Some jewelers even argue that gold vermeil is a better investment than a pure gold ring because it’s easier to maintain over time. All things considered, there’s no reason to drop thousands on a gold pendant when you get an even better quality piece for a fraction of the price.

Keeping Your Pendant Healthy

You’re going to want to wear your pendant often to make up for the time you lost this past year. However, it’s important that you take care of your gold jewelry to prevent it from tarnishing or losing its iconic luster.

For one, don’t go swimming with your pendant. Chlorine can wear away at your gold and cause it to become discolored. And if your piece is gold plated, excessive exposure to liquid can wear away the plating and reveal the base metal beneath it.

Gold is also a fairly soft metal, so you’ll want to use a fiber cloth to wipe it clean of any dust or dirt particles every night after you wear it. This helps prevent dirt build-up that might lead to corrosion or tarnish.

Finally, household cleaners and bleach can be really abrasive to gold. You’ll want to take it off before you clean the house so that you don’t get any specks of bleach on your prized locket or religious pendant.

Go in Style

Pendants are one of the best ways to add personality to your look, especially when you can have the freedom to customize them to your liking. From lockets to religious accessories, you can enhance your style all while keeping sentimental symbols close to you at all times.

In 2021, it’s time to be bold. Look for intricate designs that are made with yellow gold to stand out among the crowd. Keep your dangling chains at home for the time being, as short chains that match the color of your pendant are the style for now.

Don’t spend all of your money on solid gold pendants, especially when vermeil and plated pieces look exactly the same. Just because your pendant is inexpensive doesn’t mean it’s poor quality. In fact, inexpensive jewelry gives you more options to experiment with your look with more range than solid gold pieces have.

 

Sources:

Why Gold Is so Expensive | Business Insider

Marking & Stamping Regulations | MJSA

Jewelry Metals 101: Gold, Silver, and Platinum | International Gem Society