Flared Diamond Cross Pendant, 18K Gold

The four arms of this cross aren't cut square but flare wide at the ends, curving slightly like a sword tip — a shape borrowed from the gothic crosses of old cathedrals. All the stones on it are natural diamonds, in two clearly different sizes, each size doing a different job.

Flared arm tips — what gives this cross its shape

A cross with straight, even arms is the most basic shape, and also the most often made. Flared arms are different: the body starts slim, then near the end spreads wide to both sides before curving back into a point.

Visually, that movement makes the cross feel like it's reaching outward rather than standing still — the eye is drawn from the center out in four directions. Straight, even arms feel calm and stern; flared arms feel dynamic and formal in a classic way.

But the technical reason is what's worth noting: the flare creates exactly the space to set one large stone at the end of each arm. With an even body, setting large stones would mean thickening the whole body — and the cross would become a heavy block. Flaring at the tips solves this while keeping the body slender.

A row of small stones along the body

Between the large stones, a row of small diamonds is set all along the vertical and horizontal axes, recessed into the channel of the body, with raised gold ridges on either side.

This row's role is to connect. With only a few large stones at the arm tips, the eye would read a few scattered points of light on a gold frame. The row of small stones pulls them together into one continuous line — you see light running all the way from one arm tip to the other, unbroken.

This is also the part demanding the most skill. The row of stones sits on a narrow, concave surface, and each stone must be at the same depth and the same tilt; just one stone set deeper and the whole line of light breaks rhythm right there.

Why a few large stones cost more than many small ones

On this cross, most of the stone value lies not in the number of stones but in the group of large ones — even though they make up only a small share of the total count.

The reason is that natural diamonds aren't priced linearly by weight. The larger the stone, the rarer it is, and rarity increases much faster than size. Gather ten small stones to equal the weight of one large stone, and the price is still far lower than that large stone — because nature produces a great many small stones and very few large ones.

Understanding this helps you read jewelry prices more accurately: two pieces with the same total stone weight can differ widely in price, and what decides it is the largest stone on the piece, not the total figure.

Worn on show or under clothing — decide before you buy

Cross pendants have two very different kinds of wearers, and the size should be chosen accordingly rather than on "the bigger the better".

If you plan to wear it hidden under your clothes, known almost only to you, the smaller the better — no bulge under the fabric, no catching when you move. If you plan to wear it on show, the pendant must be large enough not to get lost between the chest and neckline; one that's too small worn on show looks like a child's piece.

This one belongs to the second group: large enough, a clear shape, flared arms making the form readable from afar. It's made to be seen — so choose it if that's exactly what you want.

Buy at Thảo Linh

See it in person at our showroom, 120 Pham Thi Tanh, Chanh Hung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, or call 0945 006 001 for advice on a chain to go with it and to have it held before you come.

12-month warranty, with free lifetime polishing and ultrasonic cleaning. The row of stones flush-set in the channel is where dust collects fastest on this piece — regular ultrasonic cleaning keeps the line of light along the body from dulling.

Thảo Linh buys back and exchanges openly at fixed rates, stated clearly at the time of sale rather than negotiated when you return.