Home Get Inspired Pendants Open Heart Lariat Necklace with Pineapple Charm

A yellow gold lariat necklace with an open heart shape at the top and a textured pineapple charm, complete with a leaf crown and cross-hatched body, hanging below it on a thin cable chain against a marble surface.

Open Heart Lariat Necklace with Pineapple Charm

10k yellow gold

M. wanted a necklace for someone special that combined an open heart with a pineapple, working from a few reference photos rather than one exact design. He approved the first render right away, writing it was exactly what he had in mind, and later said the pendants themselves were just as he imagined.

'Perfect! Exactly what I had in mind' — on seeing the first render

'That looks great. Exactly as I had imagined. Thanks for the update' — on seeing the resin preview

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Gift for partner Just because A Gift That Says Everything Just because

Quick specs

Design type

Pendants

Primary Metal

Yellow gold 10k

Primary Stone

No stone

Accent Stones

None

Style

Food object Heart Organic

Design Complexity

Moderate

Intent

A Gift That Says Everything Just because

Intent: Certainty

Medium

Size

Heart and pineapple approximately 0.75-1in each. Chain length 24in.

How they made it distinctive

01
Open heart left completely plain rather than set with stones, keeping focus on the pineapple charm
02
Pineapple sized deliberately smaller than the heart so it threads through the open silhouette
03
Lariat construction lets the pineapple hang and move freely rather than sitting fixed in place
04
Pineapple rendered with a textured lattice body and leaf crown for more dimension than a flat charm
05
Design combined elements from two separate reference images into one cohesive pendant

How you'd make it yours

Motif: this piece pairs a heart and a pineapple; a new commission could use any two connected symbols or shapes

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

Stones: the heart is left plain here; a new piece could add small accent stones along the outline

Chain: this piece is a 24-inch lariat cable chain; a new commission could use a different length or chain style

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

Design changes made

The pineapple was made more defined and dimensional than the original reference photo, based on the client's request to combine elements from two different inspiration images. The final piece kept the heart left plain rather than set with stones, per the client's preference.

Who this is for

This piece is for someone who wants a gift that feels personal and a little playful rather than purely sentimental. It suits someone drawn to layered, lariat-style necklaces where movement is part of the design, and who likes the idea of two meaningful symbols paired into one pendant.

How it's made

Once the design was approved, the piece was 3D printed as a wax model and attached to a wax tree before being invested in plaster and fired in a kiln to burn out the wax. Molten 10k yellow gold was then cast into the resulting mold under pressure, producing the raw heart and pineapple pendant along with its lariat chain components. After cooling, the casting was removed from the mold and prepared for finishing and assembly. The heart was left with a soft matte surface, while the pineapple's lattice body and leaf crown were polished to bring out the dimensional texture against the smooth heart. The two elements were then connected through the lariat chain so the pineapple hangs freely through the open heart rather than sitting in a fixed position, and the full 24-inch cable chain was attached before final quality inspection.

Key note

The lariat construction lets the pineapple hang and move freely through the open heart rather than being fixed in place, which is why its drape and final resting position can shift depending on how it's worn.

Pricing guidance

A lariat-style gold pendant combining two cast elements — an open heart and a dimensional charm — sits toward the lower end of custom pendant pricing for this level of detail. Most of the cost comes from modeling two distinct connected components and finishing them differently (matte versus polished), plus the gold content of the chain itself. Chain length and gauge are also meaningful cost drivers on a lariat design like this.

Moves price up ↑

↑
Upgrading from 10k to 14k or 18k gold for richer color and higher precious metal content
↑
Adding stones to the heart or pineapple rather than leaving them plain metal
↑
Increasing the chain gauge for a more substantial, heavier feel
↑
Lengthening the chain beyond 24 inches
↑
Adding a two-tone finish, such as white gold accents on the pineapple leaves

Moves price down ↓

↓
Using gold-plated sterling silver instead of solid 10k gold
↓
Shortening the chain length
↓
Simplifying the pineapple to a flatter, less dimensional silhouette
↓
Reducing the size of either the heart or the pineapple charm
↓
Choosing a lighter-gauge chain

Questions people ask

What metal is this pineapple necklace made of?

This piece is made in 10k yellow gold, which is more affordable and slightly more durable than higher-karat gold because the lower gold content allows for a harder alloy mix. It has a slightly lighter color than 14k or 18k gold but holds up well to daily wear. Because it's solid gold rather than plated, the color won't wear off over time the way gold plating eventually does. It can also be resized or repaired using standard goldsmithing techniques.

Can you make a lariat necklace with two different charms?

Yes, a lariat design like this one works well with two connected elements, where a chain runs through one piece (in this case an open heart) so the second element can hang and move freely below it. This is different from a fixed pendant, where the charm sits in one set position on the chain. The movement is part of the design appeal, though it does mean the hanging charm's exact resting position can shift depending on how the piece is worn. Any two motifs that make sense together, like an initial and a symbol or two meaningful shapes, could work in this format.

How much does a custom gold pendant with two charms typically cost?

A two-part cast pendant like this, combining a plain metal silhouette with a more detailed charm, falls toward the lower-to-middle range for custom pendant work. The cost is driven mainly by the complexity of modeling and finishing two separate components rather than one, plus the gold content of the chain. Choosing a lower-karat gold or a plated silver base are the two most common ways to bring the cost down, while upgrading karat or adding stones moves it up.

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

The full process from approved design to shipping typically takes around four to six weeks. The 3D design phase usually takes about a week, during which a photorealistic render is created for approval. Once the design is approved, production — including casting, finishing, and assembly — generally takes another three to four weeks. A resin or wax preview is often shared partway through production so the client can see the piece take shape before it's cast in metal.

Will the color of the gold match the render exactly?

Not exactly — the color and luster of yellow gold in a photorealistic render is always an approximation, and the finished metal piece will have some natural variation in tone and shine compared to the digital image. This is normal across the custom jewelry industry and not specific to any one piece. The overall design, proportions, and layout shown in the render are what's guaranteed to match, not the exact lighting or color rendering. Seeing the piece in person, especially in different lighting, will always look slightly different from a screen render.

Can a necklace like this be adjusted if it doesn't hang right?

Yes. If a lariat-style necklace isn't draping the way you'd like — for example, if a heavier charm pulls a lighter element too high or too low — the chain can often be reattached at a different point to change how the piece hangs. This typically means attaching the chain directly to the upper element so the lower charm hangs at a shorter, more controlled length rather than sliding freely. This kind of adjustment is a straightforward modification rather than a full remake.

Is a lariat necklace heavier than a standard pendant necklace?

It depends on the design, but a lariat with two solid cast charms will generally feel more substantial than a single small pendant on a thin chain, simply because there's more metal in play. If the hanging charm is noticeably heavier than the chain gauge it's attached to, it can pull the chain taut and change how the piece sits on the body. This is worth discussing with your jeweler upfront if you have a specific silhouette in mind, since chain gauge and charm weight need to be balanced for the piece to drape as intended.

Can the heart be set with stones instead of left plain?

Yes, an open heart silhouette like this one can be left plain, as it was here, or set with small accent stones along the outline for extra sparkle. Leaving it plain keeps the focus on the pineapple charm and gives the piece a cleaner, more minimal look. Adding stones would increase both the cost and the visual weight of the heart element. It's a straightforward design choice to make early in the process, since it affects the model before casting.