Home Get Inspired Pendants Sculptural Figure & Light Bulb Pendant in 14k White Gold

A 14k white gold pendant featuring an open circular frame with a seated figure inside looking up at a small light bulb charm with a cross detail, hanging from a short chain, shown on a cable chain against a white marble background.

Sculptural Figure & Light Bulb Pendant in 14k White Gold

14k white gold

A client came to us with a reference image of a seated figure and asked for a pendant to match. After seeing the first render, he sketched his own idea for an added detail — a small lightbulb with a cross inside, hung above the figure like a thought bubble — and asked the team to bring it to life as a fully dimensional piece. When it arrived, he wrote simply: "It looks great. Thank you."

'It looks great. Thank you.' — on delivery

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For himself Make Your Mark Identity expression

Quick specs

Design type

Pendants

Primary Metal

White gold 14k

Primary Stone

No stone

Accent Stones

None

Style

3D Cross Dangling Human figure Religios Symbolic

Design Complexity

Complex

Intent

Make Your Mark Identity expression

Intent: Certainty

Medium

Size

Pendant approximately 1 inch; designed to fit a 4mm chain.

How they made it distinctive

01
Fully dimensional 3D figure substituted for the originally quoted flat design, at no extra design charge
02
Lightbulb-and-cross charm added by client request after the first render, designed as a personal symbolic detail
03
Lightbulb charm cast as a separate piece from the main body and joined during assembly, allowing its scale to be tuned independently
04
Rigid short chain link intentionally used instead of a free-swinging chain, so the charm holds a fixed position
05
14k white gold selected over the originally discussed 10k for added durability given the piece's fine dimensional detail

How you'd make it yours

Dimensionality: this piece is fully 3D — a new commission could use a flatter relief design for a different cost and look

Metal: this piece is 14k white gold — the same figure-and-frame design works in yellow or rose gold

Secondary charm: this piece includes a lightbulb-and-cross detail — a new commission could use a different symbolic charm

Figure pose: the seated figure here is specific to this design — a new piece could use a different pose or figure stance

Size: this piece is about one inch — a new commission is sized to its own wearer's preference

One of a kind: this exact pendant 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 client requested the design go beyond the original reference photo, adding a hanging lightbulb charm with a cross detail above the figure's head — and asked for a fully 3D rendering rather than the flat design originally quoted, which the studio completed at no added design charge.

Who this is for

This piece is for someone who has a specific personal image in mind and wants it built with real sculptural depth rather than a flat engraving. It's especially right for someone who wants to add their own symbolic detail to a design in progress, not just select from a fixed template.

How it's made

Once the design was approved, the 3D model was 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 white gold was cast into the mold under pressure. The lightbulb charm was printed and cast as a separate piece from the main figure-and-circle body, then joined together during assembly. After casting, the piece was cleaned and polished to bring out the smooth, rounded finish typical of a fully dimensional design — the rough, oversized texture visible in the early 3D model was refined away entirely in this stage. The cross detail on the lightbulb was added during production rather than the design phase, carved in once the cast piece was in hand. The rigid link chain connecting the lightbulb to the frame was finished stiff and short by design, so the charm holds its position rather than swinging freely.

Key note

The lightbulb charm was cast as a completely separate piece from the main pendant body and only joined to it during assembly — which is why its proportions could be fine-tuned independently of the figure.

Pricing guidance

A fully dimensional 14k white gold figural pendant like this sits in the lower-middle range for custom pendant work. Moving from a flat design to a complete 3D sculpture is the main driver of cost here, since a dimensional piece requires more metal and significantly more finishing time than a flat design with surface detail. Additional small cast elements, like a secondary charm, add modest cost on top of the base figure.

Moves price up ↑

↑
Making the entire design fully 3D/dimensional rather than flat with surface relief
↑
Adding more small separately-cast elements, like the lightbulb charm here
↑
Increasing the overall pendant size beyond one inch
↑
Upgrading from 14k to 18k white gold
↑
Adding gemstone accents to the figure or charm

Moves price down ↓

↓
Choosing a flat pendant design with dimensional detailing instead of full 3D sculpture
↓
Reducing the pendant size below one inch
↓
Using 10k gold or sterling silver instead of 14k white gold
↓
Omitting secondary cast elements like the hanging charm
↓
Simplifying the figure's pose or detail level

Questions people ask

What's the difference between a flat pendant and a fully 3D pendant?

A flat pendant has a front and back surface with carved or raised detail, similar to a coin or medallion, while a fully 3D pendant is sculpted in the round so it has real depth and dimension from every angle. A 3D design uses more metal and takes longer to finish because every surface, including the back, needs polishing and detail work. Flat designs are generally less expensive because they require less metal and less finishing time. The choice usually comes down to whether you want the piece to read as a sculptural object or more like a traditional medallion.

Can a small charm be added onto an existing pendant design?

Yes, a small secondary element like a charm or dangling detail can be cast separately and joined to the main pendant during assembly. This approach lets the charm's proportions be adjusted independently of the main design, which is useful when the charm needs to stay small relative to the rest of the piece. It does add a modest amount of production time since it is modeled, printed, and cast as its own piece. This is a common way to add a personal detail without redesigning the entire pendant from scratch.

Is 14k or 10k white gold better for a detailed 3D pendant?

14k white gold is generally recommended for pendants with fine dimensional detail because it is more durable than 10k, which is more brittle and better suited to flatter, simpler designs. For a fully sculpted piece with thin elements like a small chain link or a narrow charm, the added durability of 14k reduces the risk of breakage over time. 10k can still work for flat designs with less delicate detailing. The right choice depends on how intricate and dimensional the final design ends up being.

How long does it take to make a custom 3D pendant like this?

The design phase for a custom pendant typically takes about one week to produce an initial render for approval, though it can take longer if revisions are requested. Once the design is approved, production typically takes four to five weeks, covering wax printing, casting, cleaning, and polishing. A separately cast element, like a secondary charm, does not significantly extend this timeline since it is produced alongside the main piece. Most custom pendants ship within five to six weeks of final design approval.

What does a custom 3D figural pendant typically cost?

A fully dimensional pendant with a sculpted figure and one small secondary cast element typically falls toward the lower-middle range for custom pendant work. The main driver is the shift from a flat design to a full 3D sculpture, which requires more metal and significantly more finishing time than a flat piece. Additional small details, like a secondary charm, add only modest cost on top of that base. Simpler flat designs or smaller sizes bring the price down from there.

Can you make a pendant from a reference photo I provide?

Yes, a reference photo can be used as the starting point for a custom 3D design, which the design team translates into a render for your approval before anything is produced. You can request changes to the original reference, such as adding new elements or adjusting proportions, during the render review stage. Multiple rounds of revision are normal as the design is refined to match what you have in mind. Nothing moves to production until you approve the final render.

Why does a small charm need to be a specific minimum size?

Cast metal elements have a practical minimum size limit because extremely thin or small details can be too fragile to cast and finish reliably, or may not hold up to daily wear. On a piece like this, the smallest part of a small charm detail was kept to just over one millimeter, which is close to the practical minimum for a cast white gold element. Pushing a detail smaller than that risks breakage during polishing or normal wear. This is why designers sometimes have to balance a client's exact proportion request against what is physically durable.

Can the proportions of a 3D design change between the model and the finished piece?

The finished piece is made to match the proportions shown in the approved 3D render, but renders and printed models are often shown at a much larger scale than the actual finished size, which can make elements look different than expected. A detail that looks oversized in a 10x scale render will typically appear correctly proportioned at the true finished size. It's worth confirming relative proportions, like how one element compares in size to another, directly with the design team if you have concerns before approving. Once a render is approved, the finished piece is cast to match those same proportions.