Home Get Inspired Pendants Cut-Out Portrait Pendant With Music Note Flourish

A sterling silver cut-out pendant depicting a stylized portrait with black rhodium-plated hair and a dark box shape at the base, framed by music notes flowing upward, on a silver cable chain.

Cut-Out Portrait Pendant With Music Note Flourish

Sterling silver, black rhodium plating

B. wanted a logo that mattered to her and her husband turned into a pendant he could wear — originally conceived with a small diamond accent, later simplified to fit her budget. The design went through several rounds of careful adjustment, from the part in the hair to how the musical notes flowed around the piece, before she felt it finally matched the image she had in mind. She gave it to her husband on his birthday and wrote: "my husband and I are pleased... the size is just right for him."

'Yes my husband and I are pleased... the size is just right for him.' — on delivery

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Birthday Daily wear Gift for partner Make Your Mark Business / brand logo, Identity expression

Quick specs

Design type

Pendants

Primary Metal

Sterling silver

Primary Stone

No stone

Accent Stones

None

Style

Black Rhodium Cut out Human figure Logo Music note Portrait

Design Complexity

Complex

Intent

Make Your Mark Business / brand logo, Identity expression

Intent: Certainty

High

Size

Pendant approximately 1 inch (25.4mm) tall.

How they made it distinctive

01
Built directly from a personal logo image rather than a standard catalog design — every element was checked against the client's own reference
02
Open cut-out silhouette keeps the piece lightweight despite the layered detail of the portrait and musical notes
03
Black rhodium plating applied only to the hair, box, and facial shadow to recreate the contrast seen in the original flat logo
04
Bail placed within the music-note cluster rather than centered over the head, for a straighter hang on the chain
05
Musical notes redirected to flow upward and away from the head rather than wrapping in a circle, per the client's feedback

How you'd make it yours

Metal: this piece is sterling silver — a new commission in the same design language could use 14k gold or gold plating for a different tone

Stone: this piece has no stone — a new piece could include a small diamond or accent stone, as originally discussed for this design

Plating: this piece uses black rhodium on select areas only — a new piece could apply plating more broadly or use a different plating color

Background: this piece is a cut-out silhouette — a new commission could use a solid background for a sturdier feel

Size: this piece is about 1 inch — a new piece is sized to its own wearer and image source

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

Design changes made

The client requested a small diamond in the box early on, then removed it to stay within budget — a material simplification rather than a design addition. The musical notes were adjusted to flow upward and away from the head rather than circling it, and the hair part gap was reviewed for accuracy against the client's reference logo.

Who this is for

This piece is for someone who has a specific image or emblem that means something personal and wants it translated faithfully into a piece that can be worn daily, not just looked at. It's especially right if you're patient with a back-and-forth design process, since matching a flat graphic to a wearable 3D piece often takes a few rounds of careful comparison and adjustment.

How it's made

Once the design was approved, the piece was 3D printed in wax and attached to a wax tree inside a flask. The flask was placed in a kiln to burn out the wax, leaving a hollow mold, and molten sterling silver was then cast into that mold under pressure. After cooling, the raw cut-out pendant was removed from the mold and prepared for finishing. The cut-out areas were cleaned and refined to sharpen the fine detail of the musical notes and lettering, since these elements only become fully crisp after polishing. The hair, the box shape at the base, and the shadowed portion of the face were plated in black rhodium last, after all polishing was complete, to create contrast against the bright silver. The bail was positioned through the note details rather than directly above the head, giving the chain a stable, straight hang.

Key note

The bail was deliberately placed within the music-note cluster rather than centered over the head, trading a perfectly symmetrical look for a pendant that hangs straight and holds up structurally on a daily-wear chain.

Pricing guidance

A cut-out sterling silver pendant with this level of fine detail — a profile portrait, layered lettering, and plating — sits toward the lower end of custom pendant work. Most of the cost comes from the intricacy of modeling a recognizable image as a thin cut-out piece rather than from the metal itself. Adding plating or stones moves the price up from there.

Moves price up ↑

↑
Adding a center stone or diamond accent as originally discussed
↑
Upgrading from sterling silver to 14k gold or gold plating
↑
Increasing the pendant size beyond 1 inch, which requires more metal and finer detail work
↑
Adding a solid background instead of an open cut-out design
↑
Requesting multiple rounds of significant image redesign beyond standard revisions

Moves price down ↓

↓
Removing the black rhodium plating and leaving the piece in polished silver only
↓
Simplifying the design to fewer cut-out elements
↓
Keeping the pendant at a smaller scale
↓
Choosing a solid background rather than fine openwork, which reduces modeling time
↓
Skipping custom engraving or additional text elements

Questions people ask

Can you turn a logo or image into a pendant?

Yes, a flat logo or graphic image can be modeled into a three-dimensional pendant using 3D design software, then cast in metal. The process starts with a render for approval before anything is produced, so adjustments can be made to proportions and fine details first. Very small details, sometimes under a millimeter, may need to be slightly simplified so they cast cleanly in metal. The final piece typically reads more crisply in person than in early renders.

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

Yes, sterling silver (.925) is a durable choice for daily wear pendants and is the standard silver alloy used in fine jewelry. It will tarnish gradually with air exposure, but this is easily reversed with regular polishing. Black rhodium or other plating added on top of silver will wear over time with contact, especially on raised or high-contact edges. A pendant kept on a chain and not handled constantly will typically hold its finish well for years.

What is black rhodium plating and how long does it last?

Black rhodium is a dark metal plating applied over a finished piece, typically sterling silver or white gold, to create deep black contrast against the bright metal. It is applied as the very last step in finishing, after all polishing is complete, because the plating itself is delicate. With normal daily wear, black rhodium plating generally holds up well for one to two years before it may need to be reapplied. Re-plating is a standard service offered by most jewelers.

How much does a custom cut-out pendant like this typically cost?

A detailed cut-out pendant in sterling silver, without stones, generally sits toward the lower end of custom pendant pricing. The primary cost driver is the design and modeling work needed to translate a flat image into a wearable three-dimensional cut-out, not the metal itself. Adding a stone, upgrading the metal, or adding plating will move the price higher. Size also plays a role, since a larger pendant requires more material and more detailed finishing.

How long does it take to make a custom pendant from a logo or photo?

After the design deposit, the initial 3D render typically takes about a week to produce. Once the design is approved, production — casting, finishing, and plating — generally takes four to five weeks. Multiple rounds of design revisions, especially ones involving reference image changes, can extend the design phase beyond the standard timeline. The full process from first approval to shipping is usually five to seven weeks total.

Can a pendant be made from a low-resolution or small reference image?

Yes, but the result depends on how much detail is visible in the source image. Small details below roughly half a millimeter may not survive the casting process and will need to be slightly enlarged or simplified. A 3D render and, if needed, an STL file for viewing in 3D are typically shared during the design phase so these limitations can be addressed before production. Working from a clear, well-lit source image produces the most accurate result.

Can the bail or chain attachment point be moved on a custom pendant?

Yes, but the bail placement is often constrained by the structure of the design rather than pure preference. On a pendant with an irregular or top-heavy shape, the bail needs to sit over the most structurally solid part of the design so the piece hangs straight and doesn't shift on the chain. This sometimes means the bail is placed slightly off from where it appears in a 2D reference image. A jeweler can usually explain the structural reasoning before the design is finalized.

What's the difference between a cut-out pendant and a solid-background pendant?

A cut-out pendant removes all the background metal around the design, leaving only the lines and shapes of the image itself, which creates a lighter, more open piece. A solid-background pendant keeps a flat or shaped base behind the design, which is sturdier but adds more visible metal and weight. Cut-out designs generally take more modeling precision since every edge needs to be clean and wearable. The choice is largely aesthetic, though cut-out pieces can be slightly more delicate around very fine details.