10K C.Z. Cross Pendants

Cubic zirconia is a created stone rather than a mined one. It is cut and polished the same way and reads brightly, but it is softer than diamond and carries no gemstone value. It is chosen when the look of a fully set cross matters more than the stone itself.

It depends on the wearer. 10K is 41.7% gold against 14K's 58.3%, so it is paler and costs less — but it is also harder, which means it stands up better to daily knocks. For a child's cross or a piece that will be outgrown, that trade is usually the right one.

Judge it against the wearer rather than in millimeters. Every product page lists the height and width, and comparing those to a familiar coin is the quickest way to picture it. For a child, smaller and lighter is usually the right call; for an adult, the limit is what sits comfortably under a collar.

Some can. Where a piece has a flat enough back to take lettering, the product page says so — look for Engravable in the specifications. Pierced and openwork designs generally cannot be engraved, because there is no solid face to cut into.

It describes construction rather than quality. A solid piece is metal all the way through. A hollow or semi-solid piece is formed with a cavity, which lets a large cross stay light and affordable in precious metal. Both are the stated metal throughout — the specifications on each product page say which it is.