Home Get Inspired Pendants Hockey League Pendant — Custom Name & Number Medallion

A round 10k yellow gold pendant on a box chain, featuring crossed hockey sticks and a maple-leaf shield design with the arched text CJHL and NOJHL, the name Felix and number 37 in the center, on a matte background.

Hockey League Pendant — Custom Name & Number Medallion

$$$

10k yellow gold, 14k yellow gold chain

A grandfather wanted something for his grandson that honored a full season of junior hockey, not just a logo on a chain. Rather than copying the league crest directly, the design pulled its colors and shape into an original lightning-bolt motif carrying the player's name and number. He kept adjusting the shape and layout over several rounds until it felt right, and added his season stats to the back so another year could be added later.

Thank Tricia for everything. I finally got to see it and it looks great!' — on delivery

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Achievement Daily wear Gift for grandchild For Our Family Grandmother / grandparent gift

Quick specs

Design type

Pendants

Primary Metal

Yellow gold 10k

Primary Stone

No stone

Accent Stones

None

Style

Engraved Letter initial Medallion style Sun Word text

Design Complexity

Moderate

Intent

For Our Family Grandmother / grandparent gift

Intent: Certainty

High

Size

Pendant approximately 30mm (1.18in) diameter, excluding bail. Chain: 20in 14k yellow gold box chain, 1.4mm width.

How they made it distinctive

01
Lightning-bolt centerpiece replaces a standard round medallion shape at the client's request for something less generic
02
Name and jersey number set directly into the bolt motif rather than engraved as flat text
03
League initials reworked into an original layout rather than reproducing the actual team crest
04
Matte-finished recessed background makes the raised polished lettering and motif stand out by contrast
05
Season and games-played detail engraved on the back, with space left to add a future season

How you'd make it yours

Metal: this piece is 10k yellow gold; the same design works in 14k or 18k yellow or white gold for a different tone

Chain: this piece pairs with a 14k yellow gold box chain; a new commission could use curb, figaro, or a different length

Background finish: this piece uses a matte recessed background; a new piece could use a polished or enamel-filled background instead

Engraving: the reverse side can carry different text, stats, or dates on a new commission

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

Design changes made

The design moved from a simple round medallion to a more distinctive lightning-bolt-shaped centerpiece after the client asked for something less generic than a standard medal shape. The season engraving was also relocated from the front to the back of the pendant to leave room for future seasons to be added.

Who this is for

This is for someone who wants to mark a specific season or achievement in a sport that matters to them, not just wear a generic team symbol. It's especially fitting for a grandparent or parent who wants to celebrate a young athlete's year in a way that can grow with them, since more seasons can be added later.

How it's made

Once the layered design was finalized in 3D, a resin model was 3D-printed and photographed for the client before casting — letting him see the piece's proportions in physical form ahead of metal production. From there, the model was invested and cast in 10k yellow gold using the lost-wax casting method, producing the raised letters, numbers, and lightning-bolt band in a single pour. After casting, the recessed background areas were given a matte finish to set off the raised polished lettering and bolt motif by contrast, while the bolt, letters, and numbers themselves were polished to a bright shine. The reverse side was left fully smooth and polished, then engraved with the season and games-played detail. The bail was fitted last to accept the separately sourced box chain.

Key note

The matte-versus-polish contrast on the front is applied as a deliberate two-step finishing process, not a single polish pass, so the raised lettering reads clearly against the recessed background.

Pricing guidance

A personalized gold pendant of this size and detail level — raised lettering, a sculpted central motif, and double-sided engraving — sits in the mid range for custom pendant work. Most of the cost comes from the metal weight at this diameter plus the labor for the layered relief design and hand engraving. Chain choice and metal karat are the biggest levers from there.

Moves price up ↑

↑
Upgrading from 10k to 14k or 18k yellow gold, which increases both material cost and weight-driven price
↑
Adding a thicker or longer gold chain instead of a standard box chain
↑
Increasing the pendant diameter beyond about 30mm, which adds metal weight
↑
Adding colored enamel fill to the recessed background instead of a plain matte finish

Moves price down ↓

↓
Choosing 14k gold-plated sterling silver instead of solid 10k or 14k gold
↓
Reducing the pendant to a smaller diameter, such as 25mm or under
↓
Selecting a thinner or shorter chain, or supplying a chain the client already owns
↓
Simplifying the design to a flat single-sided engraving instead of a dimensional raised motif with matte contrast

Questions people ask

Can you make a sports pendant without copying the actual team logo?

Yes. Rather than reproducing a trademarked logo directly, a common approach is to pull out non-trademarked elements like color scheme, shape, or general theme and build an original design around them. This keeps the piece personal and recognizable to the wearer without reproducing protected artwork. A player's name, number, and league initials can still be worked into the new design to keep the meaning intact.

What's the difference between 10k and 14k gold for a pendant like this?

10k gold contains about 41.7% pure gold, while 14k contains about 58.3%, making 14k a richer yellow color and slightly more valuable per gram. Both are durable enough for daily wear and everyday pendants. 10k is a common choice when a client wants solid gold at a lower weight-based cost, while 14k is chosen when a slightly warmer gold tone and higher gold content matter more. Visually, most people cannot tell the difference between the two at a glance.

How long does it take to make a custom engraved gold pendant?

The design phase for a pendant like this typically takes about a week once the deposit is paid, during which a 3D render is produced and refined based on feedback. After the design is approved, production typically takes three to four weeks, including casting, finishing, and engraving. Total turnaround from deposit to shipping is usually around five to six weeks, though more rounds of design revision can extend that slightly.

What does a custom gold pendant like this typically cost?

A personalized gold pendant with raised lettering, a sculpted motif, and double-sided engraving generally falls in the mid range for custom pendant work. The main cost drivers are the gold weight at the finished size and the labor involved in the layered relief design and engraving. Chain selection and gold karat are usually the two factors that move the final price the most.

Can engraving be added to the back of a pendant after the front design is finished?

Yes, this is a common approach when a client wants to keep the front design clean and reserve the back for text, dates, or stats. It also allows room for future additions, such as adding a second season or date later without disturbing the front design. The engraving is typically added as one of the final steps after the main casting and polishing work is done.

Will the gold color and shine look exactly like the 3D render?

The 3D render gives a very close preview of the design, but the actual luster and depth of color in real gold will vary slightly from a computer-generated image. Matte and polished finishes in particular look different in person than on screen, since matte finishes diffuse light in a way that's hard to fully capture digitally. This is normal and expected, and most clients find the real piece reads even better in person because of the contrast between matte and polished areas.

Can a pendant like this be made heavier or in a different metal later?

The design itself — the raised motif, lettering, and engraving layout — can be recreated in a different metal or at a different size as a new commission. Moving to a higher karat gold or a larger diameter will increase both the metal cost and the overall weight of the piece. Each new version would be produced as its own piece rather than a modification of an existing one.

Is a box chain a good match for a medallion-style pendant like this?

A box chain is a sturdy, classic choice for a pendant of this size and weight, since its structure holds up well under daily wear and supports a heavier medallion comfortably. Thicker box chains in the 1.2mm to 1.4mm range are common for pendants around an inch in diameter. Curb and figaro chains are other common alternatives if a different link look is preferred.