Home Get Inspired Pendants Star of David Sailboat Pendant in Enamel Silver

A sterling silver pendant combining a Star of David outline with sailboat sail shapes, two sails filled with deep blue enamel, the rest of the design open cut-out metalwork, worn on a silver rope chain.

Star of David Sailboat Pendant in Enamel Silver

Sterling silver, rhodium plating

A client came to us wanting a pendant for her father that combined a Star of David with a sailboat silhouette. The smaller open areas of the design had to be enlarged and thickened to survive casting without losing the look, so the piece grew from a planned 1 inch to 1.5 inches to keep every line intact. When she saw the finished piece she wrote: 'It's magnificent!' and arranged overnight shipping so her father could have it before a trip.

'IT IS PERFECT!!!' — on seeing the first render

'It's magnificent!' — on delivery

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Daily wear Gift for father A Gift That Says Everything Just because

Quick specs

Design type

Pendants

Primary Metal

Sterling silver

Primary Stone

No stone

Accent Stones

None

Style

Cultural heritage Cut out Enamel geometric Nautical Sailing ship Star of David Symbolic

Design Complexity

Complex

Intent

A Gift That Says Everything Just because

Intent: Certainty

High

Size

Pendant approximately 1.5 inches. Cut-out and solid combination design with recessed matte-finish background sections.

How they made it distinctive

01
Star of David formed directly from the sailboat's mast and rigging lines rather than added as a separate overlapping shape
02
Size increased from 1 to 1.5 inches specifically to keep the finest cut-out lines structurally sound through casting
03
Blue enamel reserved for the sail panels only, leaving the rest of the design open and see-through
04
Recessed matte-finish background used to contrast with the polished outline without closing off the open sections
05
Combines a personal passion (sailing) with a family faith symbol in a single unified silhouette rather than two separate charms

How you'd make it yours

Enamel color: this piece uses a deep blue on the sails; a new commission could use any enamel color or a different accent placement

Metal: this piece is sterling silver with rhodium plating; the same cut-out design language works in 10k or 14k white gold

Size: this piece is 1.5 inches to preserve fine linework; a new piece would be sized to its own design and wearer preference

Background finish: this piece uses a recessed matte background; a new commission could use a fully solid or fully open design instead

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

Design changes made

The design was enlarged from 1 inch to 1.5 inches so the smaller cut-out areas could be cast with thicker lines while still reading as open, see-through sections. The client also chose blue enamel sails against an otherwise open silver frame rather than a fully solid background.

Who this is for

This piece is for someone who wants to combine more than one part of their identity — faith, heritage, a hobby, a passion — into a single symbol rather than wearing them separately. It suits a gift-giver who has a specific visual idea already in mind and wants a design team to help make it structurally real without losing what made it personal.

How it's made

Once the final design was approved, the team built a 3D CAD model and printed a resin version on a 3D printer to confirm the geometry before committing to metal. The resin model was shared with the client for a look at the piece's form ahead of casting. That model was used to produce a wax version, which was invested in plaster and burned out in a kiln to leave a hollow mold, and molten sterling silver was then cast into the mold under pressure. After casting, the piece was cleaned and polished, with the open cut-out sections and fine linework carefully finished by hand to keep the geometric pattern crisp. The recessed background areas were given a matte finish to contrast with the polished outline, and the sail sections were filled with blue enamel last, since enamel is applied only after all other metalwork and polishing is complete.

Key note

The pendant was enlarged from 1 to 1.5 inches specifically because thinner cut-out lines at the smaller size could not survive the casting process without losing their open, see-through appearance.

Pricing guidance

A cut-out enamel pendant combining two overlapping symbolic motifs sits toward the upper end of the mid range for pendant work of this complexity. Most of the added cost comes from the fine hand-finishing required on open linework and the enamel application, which is a separate production step from the casting itself. Size and the amount of enamel coverage are the biggest variables from there.

Moves price up ↑

↑
Increasing the pendant size further to accommodate even finer cut-out detail
↑
Adding enamel color to additional sections beyond the sail panels
↑
Upgrading from sterling silver to 10k or 14k white gold
↑
Adding a two-sided design with engraving or detail on the back
↑
Using multiple enamel colors instead of a single hue

Moves price down ↓

↓
Simplifying the cut-out pattern to fewer, larger open sections
↓
Reducing the pendant to a smaller overall size where the design allows it
↓
Choosing a solid matte or polished background instead of enamel fill
↓
Limiting enamel to a single small accent area rather than the full sail shapes
↓
Omitting the cut-out element in favor of a solid silhouette design

Questions people ask

Can you combine two different symbols into one pendant design?

Yes, combining two meaningful symbols into a single overlapping design is a common custom request. The key design challenge is making sure both symbols remain visually readable once merged, especially with cut-out or open-line designs where shared lines do double duty. It usually takes one or two rounds of sketch revisions to get the proportions right so neither symbol gets lost in the other. A 3D render is shared before production so you can confirm both symbols are still clearly recognizable.

Why do cut-out pendant designs sometimes need to be made bigger?

Cut-out or open-line metal designs have a physical limit on how thin a line can be and still survive the casting process intact. If a design has very fine linework at a small size, those thin sections can warp, fill in, or break during casting and finishing. The usual fix is to either thicken the lines, which can blur fine detail, or increase the overall size of the piece so the lines can stay thin in proportion while being thick enough in absolute terms to cast reliably. This is a structural consideration, not a stylistic one.

Is sterling silver jewelry plated or solid silver all the way through?

Sterling silver pieces are solid .925 silver, not plated silver underneath a different base metal. However, most sterling silver jewelry, including pendants like this one, receives a rhodium plating on top of the silver to maintain a bright white finish and resist tarnishing. Over time and with wear, rhodium plating can gradually fade and may need to be reapplied by a jeweler. The silver itself does not disappear — only the rhodium layer wears down.

What is enamel on jewelry and how durable is it?

Enamel is a colored glass-like coating fused or applied to a metal surface to add solid color to a design, commonly used in cut-out or outlined pieces where only part of the design should be colored. It is applied as one of the last steps in production, after all casting, polishing, and metal finishing is complete, because the enamel surface can be damaged by later mechanical work. Well-applied enamel holds up well to normal daily wear, though like any coating it can chip if struck hard against a surface. Avoiding harsh impacts and excessive solvents will keep the color looking its best.

What does a custom cut-out enamel pendant like this typically cost?

A pendant combining cut-out metalwork with enamel detailing typically falls toward the upper end of the mid-range for custom pendant pricing. The main cost drivers are the hand-finishing time required for fine open linework and the separate enamel application step, both of which add labor beyond a standard solid pendant. Overall size and how much of the design is enamel-filled versus open metal are the two factors that move the price most within that range.

How long does it take to make a custom pendant with enamel detailing?

A custom pendant that includes enamel work typically takes around four to six weeks once the design is finalized and approved, which is longer than a standard metal-only pendant. The process starts with a sketch, moves to a 3D CAD model and photorealistic render for approval, then into production, where a wax or resin model is cast in metal before finishing and enamel application. Enamel adds extra time because it is a distinct production step that happens only after all other metalwork is complete.

Can a pendant like this be made in gold instead of silver?

Yes, a cut-out enamel pendant design can generally be produced in gold as well as silver, most commonly 10k or 14k white gold to keep a similar bright tone to rhodium-plated silver. Gold will increase the cost relative to sterling silver due to material cost alone, independent of the design's complexity. The enamel application process and the structural considerations around thin cut-out lines apply the same way regardless of which metal is chosen.

Will the metal and enamel color match the 3D render exactly?

A photorealistic render is a very close approximation of the finished piece, but some minor variation between the render and the final piece is normal and expected. Enamel colors in particular can shift slightly in tone depending on the batch and how the light catches the glass-like surface compared to a digital rendering. Metal finishes can also appear slightly different in person due to lighting and the reflective properties of polished metal versus a rendered image. These are small, expected variations rather than errors in production.