Home Get Inspired Pendants Flying Rabbit Memorial Pendant in 18k Yellow Gold

An 18k yellow gold pendant shaped like a flying rabbit with detailed feathered wings and a cut-out silhouette design, hanging from a classic cable chain against a marble background.

Flying Rabbit Memorial Pendant in 18k Yellow Gold

$$$

18k yellow gold

A husband commissioned this pendant for his wife after she lost her mother, who was known to her grandchildren by a gentle nickname tied to a favorite childhood book. He worked from a single photo to get the flying-rabbit silhouette right, and had her mother's initials engraved on the back in a cursive script. When he gave it to her, he wrote that her eyes filled with tears and that she called it one of the most thoughtful things he'd ever done for her.

'She's going to love it I'm sure! ... I think it's a go' — on seeing the first render

'Her eyes filled with tears... she said it was one of the most thoughtful things I have ever done for her.' — on delivery

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Daily wear Gift for partner Memorial In Their Memory Memorial for a person

Quick specs

Design type

Pendants

Primary Metal

Yellow gold 18k

Primary Stone

No stone

Accent Stones

None

Style

3D Animals Cut out Engraved Memorial

Design Complexity

Complex

Intent

In Their Memory Memorial for a person

Intent: Certainty

High

Size

Pendant approximately 25mm (1in) tall; chain 20in x 1.5mm cable.

How they made it distinctive

01
Flying rabbit silhouette designed from a single client-provided photo rather than a stock animal charm
02
Flat back deliberately kept smooth to leave a clean surface for the cursive monogram engraving
03
Half-3D dimensional detailing on the front gives raised feather and fur texture while keeping the piece a wearable, flat-back pendant
04
Cast in solid 18k yellow gold rather than plated metal, chosen for a richer color and long-term durability
05
Sized to just over an inch to preserve fine feather detailing that would be difficult to render at a smaller scale

How you'd make it yours

Animal or subject: this piece uses a rabbit-with-wings design from a specific photo; a new commission could use any other animal or figure as the subject

Metal: this piece is solid 18k yellow gold; the same design works equally well in 10k, 14k, white gold, or rose gold

Engraving: this piece has a monogram on the smooth flat back; a new piece could carry a name, date, or short phrase in the same space

Chain: this piece pairs with a 1.5mm cable chain; a new commission could use a wider chain or a different link style

Dimensional detail level: this piece uses half-3D relief on the front; a simpler flat cut-out or fuller 3D treatment are both possible directions

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

Design changes made

The initial brief called for an engraved flat design, which was refined during design discussion into a flat-back pendant with half-3D dimensional detailing on the front — giving the wings and body raised texture while keeping the back smooth enough for the monogram engraving.

Who this is for

This piece is for someone who wants a memorial that doesn't announce itself as one — a design that reads as a beautiful pendant first, with its personal meaning held quietly on the back. It's especially right for anyone working from a single photo and a family nickname rather than a formal portrait, who wants that small, specific detail turned into something wearable every day.

How it's made

Once the 3D design was approved, a resin model was 3D-printed to confirm the layout and proportions before any metal was involved. The model was then attached to a wax tree, invested in plaster, and fired in a kiln to burn away the wax and resin, leaving a hollow mold. Molten 18k yellow gold was cast into that mold under pressure, then the raw piece was extracted from the mold for finishing. After casting, the pendant was cleaned and polished to a mirror finish across the dimensional wing and body details on the front. The back was left flat and smooth specifically to take the engraving, where the monogram was cut in a cursive script font. The bail was sized to fit a matching 1.5mm cable chain, which was ordered and finished separately in the same 18k yellow gold.

Key note

The front and back were designed with different purposes in mind from the start — dimensional relief on the front for visual detail, and a deliberately flat back to leave a clean surface for the engraved monogram.

Pricing guidance

A detailed cut-out pendant with half-3D dimensional front detailing and back engraving sits toward the higher end for pendant work of this complexity, largely because of the labor involved in modeling fine feather and fur texture in relief. Solid high-karat gold adds further to the baseline compared to a plated or lower-karat option. Chain cost is typically priced separately from the pendant itself.

Moves price up ↑

↑
Choosing a higher karat gold, such as 18k or 22k, over 10k or 14k
↑
Increasing the level of dimensional detail or texture across the design
↑
Adding gemstone accents such as eyes or an inset stone
↑
Engraving both the front and back rather than one surface only
↑
Selecting a wider or more elaborate chain style

Moves price down ↓

↓
Choosing 10k gold or gold-plated silver instead of solid 18k
↓
Simplifying the design to a flatter, less dimensional silhouette
↓
Reducing the pendant size below one inch
↓
Omitting the back engraving
↓
Pairing with a thinner, simpler chain style

Questions people ask

Can you turn a photo of an animal into a pendant like this?

Yes, a single reference photo is often enough to design a custom silhouette pendant like this one. The design team builds a 3D model based on the photo and any description provided, then shares a render for approval before anything is cast. Fine details like feather or fur texture can be added in relief even when the piece is otherwise a flat, cut-out shape. Minor differences from the photo are normal since the design is translated into a wearable metal piece rather than reproduced exactly.

What's the difference between 10k, 14k, and 18k gold for a pendant?

The karat number refers to gold purity — 10k is about 41.7% gold, 14k is about 58.3%, and 18k is about 75%, with the remainder made up of other metals for strength. Higher karat gold has a richer, warmer color and a higher material cost, but is also slightly softer and can be marginally more prone to scratching than lower karat gold. 10k is the most durable and budget-friendly option for daily wear, while 18k is preferred when color richness and gold content matter more than maximum hardness. All three are suitable for a pendant of this size and detail level.

How much does a custom detailed gold pendant like this typically cost?

A cut-out pendant with dimensional front detailing and back engraving in solid gold typically falls in the higher range for custom pendant work, driven mainly by the labor of modeling fine relief detail and the cost of the gold itself. Karat choice has a significant effect on price — a 10k version of the same design costs noticeably less than an 18k version. The chain is usually priced separately from the pendant. Simpler, flatter designs in lower karat gold bring the cost down significantly.

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

The design phase for a detailed dimensional pendant typically takes about one to two weeks, including at least one round of review and adjustment before the client approves a final 3D render. Production then takes roughly three to four weeks, covering the wax/resin model, casting, cleanup, polishing, and any engraving. A pendant with unusually fine detail, like feather texture across wings, can take slightly longer to model correctly before casting begins. Rush timelines are sometimes available but should be discussed upfront.

Can the back of a pendant be engraved after it's designed with 3D detail on the front?

Yes, this is a common combination — a dimensional, textured front paired with a smooth, flat back specifically left open for engraving. The back is deliberately kept simple during the design phase so it has a clean surface for names, initials, or a short phrase. Cursive, block, and other font styles can typically be accommodated. This approach lets a piece carry both a visual design and a personal inscription without either competing for space.

Is solid gold better than gold-plated for a pendant meant to be worn every day?

Solid gold, in any karat, will hold its color and finish over time without the surface wearing away, which is the main advantage over gold-plated pieces for daily wear. Gold plating is a thin layer of gold over another metal, such as silver, and that layer gradually thins with regular contact against skin and clothing. For a pendant intended to be worn for years and passed down, solid gold is the more durable long-term choice. Plated pieces remain a reasonable option for cost-conscious buyers who wear a piece less frequently.

Can you add engraving in a specific font style, like cursive?

Yes, font style is a standard detail to confirm before a pendant goes into production. Clients typically specify whether they want a classic cursive script, a block font, or another style, and the engraving is modeled to match before casting or engraving takes place. Initials, short words, or dates can all be accommodated in most font styles depending on the available engraving space. It's best to confirm the exact font preference early, since it affects how much text can fit on a given surface.

Can a pendant like this be made smaller or larger than an inch?

Yes, most pendant designs can be scaled up or down from the roughly one-inch size that's typical for this level of detail. Going smaller can make very fine details, like individual feather lines, harder to render clearly, so there's often a practical lower limit for highly detailed designs. Larger sizes generally make dimensional detail easier to execute but increase the amount of metal used and therefore the cost. The right size is usually a balance between how much detail the design carries and how the piece will be worn.