Celtic | Claddagh Cross Pendants

The ring through the intersection is the feature that identifies a Celtic cross. Readings vary — eternity, the halo, the sun — and no single one is authoritative. The interlaced knotwork across the arms has no start or finish, which is the eternity symbolism most often attached to it.

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.