Home Get Inspired Pendants Roman Numeral Pendant — Diamond XXII in 14k Yellow Gold

A 14k yellow gold necklace with the Roman numerals XXII set with round diamonds, attached directly into the center of a cable chain, photographed against a marble background.

Roman Numeral Pendant — Diamond XXII in 14k Yellow Gold

$$$

14k yellow gold, natural diamonds

A husband wanted to surprise his wife with a Roman numeral pendant marking a meaningful number, sized small enough that she could wear it on its own or layered with the rest of her jewelry. He left the exact font and numeral styling up to the design team, asking only that it read XXII. When it arrived, he wrote simply: 'Received it. Looks awesome.'

'This looks great....' — on seeing the first render

'Received it. Looks awesome! Thanks again.' — on delivery

Start your project

Gift for partner A Gift That Says Everything Just because

Quick specs

Design type

Pendants

Primary Metal

Yellow gold 14k

Shape / Cut

Round

Primary Stone

Natural diamond

Accent Stones

Diamonds

Style

Pave Word text

Design Complexity

Moderate

Intent

A Gift That Says Everything Just because

Intent: Certainty

Medium

Size

Pendant approximately 0.75in long. Chain integrated at pendant center rather than hung from a bail.

How they made it distinctive

01
Roman numerals rendered entirely in pave-set diamonds rather than flat engraving or a stamped font
02
Chain integrated directly into the sides of the numerals instead of hanging from a top bail, creating one continuous line
03
Scaled down from the client's initial 1-inch request to 3/4 inch specifically to make the piece easier to layer with other necklaces
04
Numeral stroke width kept at approximately 1mm, a deliberate proportion tradeoff that maximizes delicacy but rules out later engraving
05
Font and numeral styling left entirely to the design team's discretion, with only the numeral sequence specified by the client

How you'd make it yours

Numeral/text: this piece spells a specific Roman numeral — a new commission could spell any word, date, or number sequence

Stone type: this piece uses natural diamonds — lab-grown diamonds offer the same appearance at lower cost

Diamond grade: this piece uses VS clarity/F-G color — a new piece could use a different clarity/color combination

Size: this piece is 3/4 inch — a new commission can be sized larger or smaller depending on the wearer's preference

Chain style: this piece has the chain integrated directly into the pendant — a new piece could instead use a separate bail and chain

One of a kind: this exact pendant was designed and cast 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 pendant size was set at 3/4 of an inch rather than the client's initial 1-inch request, based on the designer's recommendation that a smaller scale would be more wearable and easier to layer with other necklaces. The client also asked about adding a back engraving after seeing the render, but this wasn't possible without widening the numerals and increasing the stone size, so the design stayed as rendered.

Who this is for

This piece is for someone who wants a specific number or date to carry real meaning, rendered in a way that feels deliberate rather than decorative. It's especially right for a partner choosing a surprise gift who wants something delicate enough to wear every day or layer with existing jewelry, without needing to know all the technical details themselves.

How it's made

Once the design was approved, the pendant 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 14k yellow gold was poured into the mold under pressure to cast both the numerals and the connecting chain links. After cooling, the piece was removed from the mold and prepared for finishing. The cast numerals were cleaned and polished to a bright finish before the round diamonds were pave-set into the top surface of each numeral, one by one, along the narrow metal channels. Because the numeral strokes are only about 1mm wide, the diamonds had to be set at a small scale with tight bead spacing to keep the pave line continuous. The chain was polished separately and joined directly into the sides of the numerals rather than through a separate bail attachment.

Key note

The numeral strokes were cast at roughly 1mm wide, which is why the piece can't carry a back engraving — engraving needs at least 2mm of metal width, and widening the numerals would have meant larger stones and a bigger pendant overall.

Pricing guidance

A pave-diamond Roman numeral pendant with an integrated chain sits in the mid range for custom diamond pendants of this scale. Most of the cost comes from the number and setting labor of the pave diamonds rather than the gold itself, since the piece uses a modest amount of metal. Diamond quality grade and whether the chain is sold separately or included are the next biggest factors in the final price.

Moves price up ↑

↑
Upgrading diamond clarity/color grade above VS/F-G
↑
Choosing natural diamonds over lab-grown for the same carat total
↑
Increasing numeral height beyond 3/4 inch, which requires more and larger stones
↑
Adding a separate matching bail-mounted pendant version alongside the integrated-chain style
↑
Upgrading the chain to 18k gold or adding a safety clasp

Moves price down ↓

↓
Switching to lab-grown diamonds, which were offered as a lower-cost option with the same appearance
↓
Choosing SI clarity/G-H color diamonds instead of VS/F-G
↓
Reducing the pendant to a shorter numeral sequence with fewer total stones
↓
Using a thinner or shorter chain
↓
Selecting 10k gold instead of 14k for the pendant and chain

Questions people ask

Can you make a Roman numeral pendant out of real diamonds?

Yes, Roman numerals can be rendered in pave-set diamonds along the top surface of each numeral stroke. This requires the numerals to be cast first in metal, then each stone set individually into the narrow channel of each stroke. The numeral width needs to be wide enough to accommodate the stone size — numerals that are too thin, around 1mm, can only hold very small diamonds. The finished look reads as a continuous line of brilliance rather than a flat engraved or printed numeral.

Why can't a thin diamond pendant be engraved on the back?

Engraving requires a minimum metal thickness to cut clean, legible lettering, typically around 2mm or more. A pendant with numeral strokes cast at only 1mm wide doesn't have enough material depth to engrave without risking a weak or illegible result. The only way around this is to widen the numerals, which in turn requires larger diamonds and a bigger overall pendant. Many pave-style pendants with fine detail face this same size constraint.

What's the difference between natural and lab-grown diamonds in a pendant like this?

Natural and lab-grown diamonds are chemically and visually identical — both are real diamond, graded on the same clarity and color scales. The difference is origin: natural diamonds form over millions of years underground, while lab-grown diamonds are created in a controlled environment in a matter of weeks. For a pave pendant using small round stones, lab-grown diamonds typically cost noticeably less than natural diamonds of the same clarity and color grade, with no visible difference to the eye.

How much does a custom diamond numeral or letter pendant typically cost?

A pendant like this, set with pave diamonds across a few numeral characters, falls in the mid range for custom diamond pendants. The price is driven mostly by the number of stones and the labor of setting them individually into narrow metal channels, rather than by the amount of gold used. Choosing lab-grown diamonds over natural, or a lower clarity/color grade, are the two most effective ways to bring the cost down without changing the design.

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

From design approval to completion, a pave-set diamond pendant like this typically takes about three to four weeks to produce. Before that, the initial 3D design and render usually take about a week to finalize. The process starts with a 3D wax model, which is cast in gold, followed by cleaning, polishing, and individual stone setting, so the stone-setting stage is usually the most time-intensive part.

Can the chain be attached directly to the pendant instead of using a bail?

Yes, a chain can be connected directly into the sides of a pendant rather than passing through a top bail, which creates a more seamless, continuous look where the pendant reads as part of the chain itself. This works well for pendants like numeral or letter designs that sit horizontally rather than hanging vertically. The tradeoff is that the chain and pendant become a single fixed unit rather than a separate pendant that can be swapped onto a different chain.

Can a pendant like this be layered with other necklaces?

Yes, a compact pendant sized around 3/4 of an inch is generally easier to layer with other necklaces than a larger 1-inch version, since it sits closer to the collarbone and leaves room for additional chains underneath or around it. Designers often recommend scaling down slightly from an initial size request specifically to make a piece more versatile for everyday layering. The integrated chain style can make layering slightly less flexible than a pendant with a bail, since the chain length is fixed to that specific piece.

What karat of gold is best for a pendant that will be worn daily?

14k gold is a common choice for daily-wear pendants because it balances durability with a rich gold color, holding up well to regular contact and movement. 10k gold is harder and more affordable but has a lighter gold tone, while 18k gold is softer and more prone to scratching despite its deeper color. For a pave-set piece with many small stones, 14k offers a practical middle ground between durability and appearance.