Stauros Pendant

Stauros Pendant takes its name directly from the Greek — stauros, the word that appears in the original Greek text of the New Testament to describe the instrument of crucifixion that became the central symbol of the Christian faith.

Before the word became exclusively religious, stauros simply meant an upright stake or post — something driven vertically into the ground, the simplest possible assertion of the vertical against the horizontal.

As a result, the cross carries its meaning in its most basic geometry: the meeting of the upright and the transverse, the intersection of two directions, the point where vertical and horizontal become inseparable.

Furthermore, the cross has been rendered in sacred art in two primary ways throughout Christian history: the organic, often jeweled cross of devotional tradition, and the architectural cross of contemplative tradition, where the geometry itself carries the meaning without additional ornament.

The Stauros Pendant belongs to the second tradition. Its polished edges define the form with architectural precision while its matte surfaces absorb rather than reflect the light, carrying the quality of stone in a sacred building — present, composed, and lit from within by its own significance.

The Design of the Stauros Pendant

The Stauros Pendant translates the architectural cross into 18k gold. The form is clean and precise: four arms of equal weight meeting at a single intersection, each arm with polished edges that define the cross’s profile with clarity and contrasting matte surfaces that give the body of each arm a quality of depth and absorption.

As a result, the Stauros Pendant reads as both jewellery and architectural object: the cross as a form that has been completely resolved, that needs nothing added to it to be what it is.

Polished Edges and Matte Surfaces

The contrast of polished edges and matte surfaces is the soul of this design. Specifically, the polished edges catch the light and define the cross’s form with precision, while the matte surfaces of the arms hold their depth without reflection.

Worn close to the body, the Stauros Pendant carries the cross with the quiet authority of a sacred object that has been made with full attention. Furthermore, the contrast between the two finishes creates a visual distinction between the form’s outline and its interior, so the cross reads as both drawn and present at the same time.

In this way, the Stauros Pendant carries the quality of sacred architecture: the sense of a form that was designed to hold meaning for those who know how to look at it.

Stauros Pendant in 18k Gold

In rose gold the architectural cross glows with warmth, the polished edges reading vivid and the matte surfaces carrying their depth in warm tones. In white gold the Stauros Pendant turns cool and precise, the polished edges reading with the clarity of architectural line and the matte surfaces holding a cool, composed depth.

In yellow gold it radiates with full golden intensity, the polished edges at their most vivid and the matte surfaces at their most present. Whichever metal you choose, the cross holds its form.

Craftsmanship and 3D Precision

Each Stauros Pendant was developed in 3D modeling software and brought to life through precision 3D printing and meticulous hand-finishing. The architectural cross demands digital modeling: every arm must be proportioned with precision so the cross reads as geometrically resolved, the polished and matte finishes must be applied consistently to the correct areas, and the pendant must hang true so the cross presents correctly.

Hand-finishing creates both the mirror-polished edges and the matte surfaces. This is the precision that only the Friszman MD process can deliver reliably.

A Made-to-Order Piece

Like every Friszman MD creation, the Stauros Pendant is made to order and hand-finished in 18k gold. Explore the full pendants collection to see how each design draws its form from the world’s great traditions. You can also explore the Greek stauros and the architectural tradition of the cross in the faith collections of the Library of Congress.