18ct Yellow Gold Charm
An 18ct yellow gold charm offers miniature sculptural detail and rich colour, making these small pendants a personal statement on a chain.
18ct Yellow Gold Charm
When you search for an 18ct yellow gold charm, you encounter miniature pendants, lockets, medals and religious pieces designed to be worn close to the body. The selection includes French devotional medals, zodiac starsigns, animal forms and geometric lockets from various historical periods.
You are most likely to meet French religious medals, Edwardian heart lockets and Art Deco enamel pieces on this page. These items span styles from Art Nouveau and Belle Epoque to Mid-Century French design, reflecting rich European goldsmithing traditions.
How they were made
Goldsmiths shaped high-purity 18ct yellow gold through casting, stamping and hand-engraving to achieve intricate relief work. Many examples incorporate delicate details such as plique-à-jour or guilloché enamel applied directly to the metal base.
Gemstones including diamonds, rubies, sapphires, pearls and citrines are flush-set, bezel-set or clustered into the gold framework. Artisans utilised techniques like hand-carved mother of pearl and shagreen inserts to contrast with the warm golden tone.
Among the religious icons and elegant zodiac starsigns, a tiny gold dog house charm waits for a very small hound.
What varies in quality
The finesse of applied enamel and the matching quality of set diamonds or pearls distinguish exceptional pieces from simpler production. Maker signatures or workshop stamps stamped into the gold elevate historical interest.
Perroud·Monier·Pageli Perriat·Dropsy·Guilbert·Emile Dropsy·Sellier·Ovide Yencesse·Divisi·Mazzoni·Becker
The 18ct Yellow Gold Charm Glossary
- Guilloche enamel
- Enamel applied over a mechanically engraved metal surface that creates repeating geometric patterns beneath the translucent colour.
- Plique a jour
- An enamelling technique where enamel is fired without a backing, resembling miniature stained glass that allows light to pass through.
- Medal charm
- A small devotional or commemorative medallion fitted with a suspension loop to be worn as a pendant.
- Cabochon
- A gemstone shaped and polished with a smooth, convex domed surface rather than faceted edges.
- Old cut diamond
- A vintage diamond cutting style characterised by a smaller table, higher crown and larger culet typical of older jewellery.
18ct Yellow Gold Charm: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I identify French religious medals?
French religious medals frequently depict the Virgin Mary, Madonna and Child, or patron saints with detailed Latin inscriptions. They often bear small French assay marks on the jump ring or edge indicating gold purity.
Many of these medals are signed by known French medallists and sculptors from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
What periods do these charms come from?
The listings span the Victorian era, Edwardian period, Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Mid-Century French design. Each era introduced distinct artistic movements, from flowing floral motifs to geometric lines.
Dates typically range from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century, capturing shifting stylistic preferences.
Can I wear these charms on a necklace?
These items are commonly supplied with loops or rings suitable for suspension on a chain as a pendant. Their substantial gold weight and detailed fronts make them well-suited for daily wear around the neck.
Pairing them with a compatible 18ct gold chain ensures proper colour matching and secure hanging.