Gold Cross Necklaces & Pendants

The cross, a word derived from the Latin “crux,” has been employed by human culture for centuries. Crosses appear, for example, in ancient Assyrian and Egyptian artistic representations in various forms, and the ancient Greek philosophers mention the cross in their writing.

As Christianity spread, the cross became all the more prevalent, with novel varieties, such as the stylized “Celtic cross,” emerging around the 5th century. Gold also made its first documented appearance around the 5th century B.C. in present-day Eastern Europe, but its popularity soon spread across the ancient cultures of both Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean. The Sumerians refined metalworking to yield remarkably complex gold jewelry designs, and by 1200 B.C. the ancient Egyptians had added the technique of hammering gold into gold leaf.

The cross still plays a significant role in ecclesiastical practice today, but it has relaxed into a more general symbolic significance as an icon of faith, hope, or comfort. Gold cross necklaces reinforce this emblematic role while adding an air of elegance.

Quick Facts

• Gold was such a coveted commodity in the ancient world that the Greeks began exploring the pseudo-science of alchemy, or the practice of transforming base metals into gold, as early as the early 4th century B.C.
• A gold cross, encrusted with diamonds, features prominently in the Sovereign Sceptre, an essential piece of regalia used in British royal coronation ceremonies since 1661. Intended to symbolize the power of the royal’s rule, the Sovereign Sceptre also showcases the 530-carat diamond Star of Africa
• United States politician Williams Jennings Bryan delivered his “Cross of Gold” speech, one of his most memorable orations, at the 1896 Democratic National Convention. In his speech, he criticized the use of the gold standard, or the idea of tying a currency’s value to that of gold