White Gold Passion Cross Pendants

The Passion cross has a markedly long upright and short arms, often with pointed ends. The elongation is the point: it reads as the cross of the Passion rather than a general symbol, and at pendant size the narrow form sits well on a chain without needing a large footprint.

White gold is 14K gold alloyed with white metals and finished with rhodium, which gives it the bright cool surface people buy it for. The rhodium is a finish on solid gold, not a coating over something else.

The rhodium finish wears thin over years of daily wear and warms slightly toward the gold beneath. A jeweler can refresh it inexpensively, and many owners never bother.

The Passion cross has a noticeably longer upright and shorter arms than a Latin cross, often with pointed rather than squared ends. The elongated proportion is what identifies it. Practically, the narrow silhouette hangs well and reads clearly even in a small size.

The rhodium finish thins gradually with daily wear and the piece warms slightly toward the gold beneath it. That is normal and reversible — a jeweler can refresh the rhodium. What is underneath is solid 14K gold, stamped 14K, so nothing is lost when the finish softens.

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.

Every gold piece is stamped with its karat and every sterling piece with .925, and the stamp is the guarantee. Lovely Rita's has sold fine jewelry since 2001 and lists the metal, purity and construction in the specifications on each product page.