Home Get Inspired Pendants Compass Rose Medallion Pendant — Recreated in Sterling Silver

A sterling silver circular pendant featuring a raised eight-point compass star at the center, encircled by a ring engraved with a Latin phrase, hanging from a thick silver rope chain.

Compass Rose Medallion Pendant — Recreated in Sterling Silver

Sterling silver

A returning client came back to recreate a compass pendant he had worn for years after the original, made too thin, had deformed over time. This time the design was built thicker and slightly larger specifically to solve that problem, while keeping the engraved motto and compass star exactly as they were. When it arrived, he wrote: "The piece is spectacular! It's perfect, exactly how I wanted it."

'Absolutely perfect!!' — on seeing the first render

"The piece is spectacular! It's perfect, exactly how I wanted it." — on delivery

Start your project

Daily wear For himself Recreate What Mattered Broken / damaged beyond repair

Quick specs

Design type

Pendants

Primary Metal

Sterling silver

Primary Stone

No stone

Accent Stones

None

Style

Coin medallion Engraved Word text

Design Complexity

Moderate

Intent

Recreate What Mattered Broken / damaged beyond repair

Intent: Certainty

High

Size

Pendant 25mm diameter (excluding bail); thickness 2mm.

How they made it distinctive

01
Rebuilt at roughly 2mm thick instead of the original's 1.75mm specifically to prevent the bending the original piece suffered
02
Compass star and engraved Latin motto recreated to match the original design closely
03
Client's own rope chain reused rather than replaced, since it was already the right length and condition
04
Original maker's signature intentionally left off the new piece at the client's request
05
Diameter increased slightly from the original for a more substantial presence

How you'd make it yours

Metal: this piece is sterling silver; the same compass design works well in white gold for a brighter finish

Engraving: the outer ring text can carry a different phrase, name, or date on a new commission

Diameter: this piece is 25mm; a new piece could be sized larger or smaller depending on preference

Back detailing: the back of this piece carries only a discreet purity stamp, but a new piece could add engraving there instead

One of a kind: this exact pendant was recreated for one client's original piece and is not reproduced — a new commission is an original piece inspired by this one, not a copy

Design changes made

The design matched the client's original piece closely, with the main adjustment being an increase in thickness from about 1.75mm to 2mm to address the durability issue that had deformed the original pendant. The client also confirmed the original maker's signature on the back would not be reproduced on the new piece.

Who this is for

This piece is for someone who had a meaningful piece of jewelry wear out or lose its shape over time and wants it rebuilt properly, with the structural issue actually solved rather than just repeated. It's especially right for someone returning to recreate something familiar rather than starting from scratch with a brand new design.

How it's made

Once the design was approved, a 3D-printed wax resin model was produced first, giving the client a preview of the piece before any metal was committed. That model was attached to a wax tree, invested in plaster, and fired in a kiln to burn out the wax and leave a hollow mold. Molten sterling silver was then cast into the mold, cooled, and extracted as the raw pendant. After casting, the pendant was cleaned and polished to bring out the raised compass star and the crisp lines of the engraved lettering around the outer ring. The recessed letters were then filled with black to make the engraved Latin phrase stand out clearly against the polished silver. A discreet purity stamp was added to the back in place of the original maker's mark, and the client's own rope chain was fitted through the bail.

Key note

The pendant was deliberately cast at roughly 2mm thick — more than the original's 1.75mm — specifically because a thinner pendant is more prone to bending out of shape under normal wear.

Pricing guidance

A sterling silver medallion-style pendant with engraved lettering and a raised central motif like this one sits in the mid range for custom pendant work. Most of the cost comes from the engraving and finishing labor required to keep the lettering crisp and the raised star well-defined, rather than from the metal itself. Size and thickness are the next biggest levers on cost for a piece like this.

Moves price up ↑

↑
Increasing the diameter beyond 25mm, which requires more metal and more surface area to engrave
↑
Adding gemstones or accent stones to the design
↑
Upgrading from sterling silver to white gold or platinum
↑
Engraving both the front and back of the pendant with different text
↑
Adding additional fine detail work to the compass star or lettering

Moves price down ↓

↓
Reducing the pendant diameter or thickness
↓
Simplifying the engraved text to a shorter phrase
↓
Choosing a plain back with no engraving at all
↓
Omitting the raised central star for a flatter, simpler medallion
↓
Using a lighter-gauge metal where structural durability is less of a concern

Questions people ask

Can you recreate a pendant I already own but make it more durable?

Yes. This is a common request, especially when an original piece was made too thin and has started to bend or deform over time. The recreation process involves working from photos of the original piece, then adjusting thickness or metal gauge to solve the durability issue while keeping the design the same. In this case, the pendant was increased from roughly 1.75mm to 2mm thick specifically to prevent the bending the client experienced with his original piece.

Why did my silver pendant get bent out of shape?

Thin sterling silver pendants are more prone to bending because there isn't enough metal thickness to resist pressure from daily wear or accidental pressing. A pendant around 1.75mm or thinner is more vulnerable to this than one cast at 2mm or more. Increasing the thickness during a recreation is a straightforward way to address this without changing the design. The bail, where the chain runs through, is also a common wear point over time on any pendant.

Is sterling silver durable enough for a pendant worn every day?

Sterling silver is generally durable enough for daily wear as long as the piece has adequate thickness. Most wear on a silver pendant shows up first in the bail, where the chain moves against the metal repeatedly. Like any precious metal jewelry, it should be removed during activities where it could get caught or pressed, but under normal daily conditions a well-made sterling silver pendant will hold its shape. Thickness, not just the metal choice itself, is the main factor in long-term durability.

What does a custom engraved medallion pendant like this typically cost?

A sterling silver medallion pendant with engraved lettering and a raised central design element typically falls in the mid range for custom pendant work. The primary cost driver is the labor involved in engraving and finishing rather than the silver itself. Diameter, thickness, and whether both sides are engraved are the main variables that move the price up or down from there.

How long does it take to make a custom pendant like this?

The full process typically runs about five to six weeks from deposit to delivery. The first week covers the design phase, where a 3D render is created and refined based on feedback until it's approved. Once approved, production takes roughly four to five weeks, covering wax modeling, casting, engraving, finishing, and shipping.

Can I use my own chain with a new custom pendant?

Yes, using an existing chain with a new custom pendant is common, especially when the chain is already the right length, thickness, and condition for the design. The bail on the new pendant needs to be sized to accommodate the chain's width, so it's important to confirm the chain dimensions before the piece is cast. This avoids the cost and wait of sourcing a new chain when a perfectly good one is already on hand.

Can old engraved text or a maker's mark be left off a recreated piece?

Yes. When recreating a piece, the client can choose exactly what appears on the new version, including omitting text from the original like a previous maker's signature or mark. A discreet purity stamp (like a 925 mark for sterling silver) will still be present, as this indicates the metal content of the piece, but personal or maker markings from the original are entirely optional to reproduce.

What metal options are available for a compass-style medallion pendant?

Common metal choices for a pendant like this include sterling silver and white gold, with sterling silver being the more accessible option for this style of design. Stainless steel is not typically used for this kind of cast, engraved medallion pendant, as it doesn't lend itself to the same casting and engraving process as precious metals. The choice of metal affects both weight and overall cost, with white gold sitting at a higher price point than sterling silver for the same design.