Home Get Inspired Pendants Gravestone Pendant with Ruby Flower — Silver Birthday Gift

A polished sterling silver cutout gravestone-shaped pendant engraved with the lettering '86'd' and a ruby-and-diamond flower with leaves set in the bottom right corner, on a silver chain.

Gravestone Pendant with Ruby Flower — Silver Birthday Gift

Sterling silver, lab rubies, lab diamond

A client designed this pendant as a birthday gift for her boyfriend, working from her own rough sketch and a reference image from a bartender accessory company. She wanted a gravestone shape with a short phrase at the center and a ruby flower tucked into the corner, with his initials engraved on the back. When it arrived, she wrote that it was perfect and that he loved it.

'I love it! I'm ready to start making it' — on design approval

'Yes, the pendant is perfect! My boyfriend loves it.' — on delivery

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Birthday Gift for partner A Gift That Says Everything Birthday

Quick specs

Design type

Pendants

Primary Metal

Sterling silver

Shape / Cut

Round

Primary Stone

Lab diamond

Accent Stones

Rubies

Style

Cut out Engraved Flower Gothic Symbolic Word text

Design Complexity

Moderate

Intent

A Gift That Says Everything Birthday

Intent: Certainty

High

Size

Pendant approximately 1.5in. Chain bail sized to fit 2.5mm Cuban link chain.

How they made it distinctive

01
Cutout gravestone silhouette chosen over a solid background for a graphic, lightweight look
02
Engraved lettering at the center designed from the client's own concept and a reference image
03
Ruby flower with a center diamond placed in the lower right corner, built with sculpted leaf accents
04
Back engraved with a three-letter initial set, placed in the bottom right corner as requested
05
Sized and bailed specifically to fit a narrow 2.5mm Cuban link chain

How you'd make it yours

Stone type: this piece uses rubies and a lab diamond; a new commission could use sapphires, emeralds, or birthstone colors instead

Metal: this piece is sterling silver; the same cutout design works in 14k or 18k gold for a different look

Background: this piece uses a cutout silhouette; a new piece could use a solid background instead

Engraving: the back engraving space can carry a new set of initials, a date, or a short phrase on a fresh commission

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

Design changes made

The design team translated the client's sketch and reference photo into two sketch options; she chose one, and the flower was finalized with ruby petals and a center diamond as discussed. The piece otherwise matched her original brief without major changes.

Who this is for

This piece is for someone who wants a gift that feels personal and a little unexpected rather than conventional. It suits someone drawn to graphic, symbolic designs with a sense of humor and edge, who still wants genuine craftsmanship and stone-set detail in the piece.

How it's made

Once the design was approved, the pendant was first printed as a 3D wax model, which was attached to a tree and invested in plaster. The mold was fired in a kiln to burn out the wax, leaving a hollow cavity, and molten sterling silver was cast into the mold under pressure to form the raw cutout piece. After cooling, the casting was removed from the mold and prepared for finishing. The cutout gravestone silhouette was cleaned up by hand to keep the engraved linework and lettering crisp, since a cutout design leaves little margin for error around the open edges. The flower cluster was set with faceted rubies and a center diamond using prong setting, and the leaf details around it were refined to sit flush against the front face. The back was engraved last with the three-letter initials in the bottom right corner, after the main polishing was complete.

Key note

The cutout silhouette was finished before stone setting so the open edges of the gravestone shape wouldn't distort once the flower cluster added weight to one corner.

Pricing guidance

A cutout pendant of this size with a dimensional flower accent sits in the mid range for custom pendant work. The cutout silhouette and the hand-finishing it requires around the open edges account for most of the labor cost, with the stone-set flower adding a secondary cost driver. Metal choice is the single biggest lever on price from there.

Moves price up ↑

↑
Upgrading from sterling silver to 14k or 18k white or yellow gold
↑
Using natural rubies and a natural diamond instead of lab-created stones
↑
Adding more stones to the flower cluster or enlarging the center stone
↑
Engraving additional text or a second line on the back
↑
Increasing the overall pendant size beyond 1.5 inches

Moves price down ↓

↓
Reducing the pendant size to simplify the cutout work
↓
Using a solid background instead of a cutout design
↓
Simplifying the flower to fewer petals or a single accent stone
↓
Omitting the back engraving
↓
Choosing cubic zirconia in place of lab diamond for the center accent

Questions people ask

Can you make a cutout pendant design instead of a solid background?

Yes, cutout designs are a standard option for pendants like this. A cutout silhouette removes the background metal around the main shape, leaving an open, graphic outline instead of a solid plate. It requires more careful hand-finishing around the open edges than a solid pendant, since there's less surrounding metal for support. The tradeoff is a lighter, more visually striking piece compared to a solid design.

What's the difference between lab-created and natural rubies?

Lab-created rubies have the same chemical composition, hardness, and appearance as natural rubies — the only difference is that they're grown in a controlled environment rather than mined. Ruby rates a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, making it very durable for everyday wear regardless of origin. The main practical difference is cost: lab-created rubies typically run significantly less than natural rubies of comparable size and clarity. Visually, the two are indistinguishable to the naked eye.

How durable is sterling silver for a pendant that gets worn often?

Sterling silver is .925 fine silver, durable enough for regular wear but softer than gold or platinum, so it can pick up surface scratches over time. It will also tarnish gradually with air exposure, though this can be reversed with regular polishing. For a pendant with fine engraved detail and a cutout design, silver holds its shape well under normal wear. If more durability or a different look is wanted, 14k gold is a common upgrade that resists tarnish entirely.

What does a custom cutout pendant with a stone-set flower typically cost?

A cutout pendant of moderate complexity with a small stone-set flower cluster typically falls in the mid range for custom pendant work. The biggest cost drivers are the hand-finishing required for the cutout silhouette and the metal choice — sterling silver keeps the cost toward the lower end, while gold versions run substantially higher. Stone origin, whether lab-created or natural, and the number of stones in the cluster also affect the final price.

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

From design approval to delivery, a piece like this typically takes about three to four weeks for production, following an initial design phase of roughly one to two weeks for sketches and a 3D render. The process includes wax printing, casting, stone setting, and finishing before the back engraving is added. Rush timelines are sometimes available but will depend on the complexity of the design and current production schedule.

Can the back of a pendant be engraved with initials or a short phrase?

Yes, a flat or lightly curved back surface can usually accommodate a short engraving such as initials, a date, or a brief phrase. The engraving is typically added as one of the final steps, after the main casting and polishing are complete, so the surface is clean and ready. Space is limited on smaller pendants, so initials or short text work best rather than long phrases. Font style and placement can be discussed and confirmed before the engraving is finalized.

Can the chain width be customized to match an existing chain?

Yes, the pendant's bail — the small loop that connects to the chain — can be sized to fit a specific chain width, including narrow chains like a 2.5mm Cuban link. It's important to confirm the exact chain width before the piece is cast, since the bail opening needs to accommodate it precisely. A bail that's too narrow won't allow the chain to pass through, and one that's too wide can look mismatched. This is a simple detail to confirm early in the design process.

Can a flower design be customized with different stones or colors?

Yes, a flower cluster like this can be designed with a range of gemstone colors and types to match personal preference. Rubies give a deep red tone, but sapphires, emeralds, or birthstone-specific stones can be substituted for different colors or personal significance. The center accent stone can also be swapped between diamond, moissanite, or cubic zirconia depending on budget and desired sparkle. The overall flower shape and petal count can be adjusted as well.