For ages, pendants have become one of the unique and demanded ornaments worn either for aesthetic appearance or to enhance spiritual and cultural beliefs. The significance of this unique jewelry has evolved, and today, various types and kinds of pendants are used to enhance fashion and spiritual appearance.
Being available in various shapes, sizes, and materials, the practice of wearing pendants is popular in diverse cultures and religions including but not limited to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. These ornaments can be made from stone, yak bones, five metal elements, and Tibetan metal.
Pendants are often referred to as lockets; however, there are some differences since they are open and visible, while lockets are pendants but have hidden compartments that can open up. These ornaments come in various varieties integrated with gemstones such as coral, turquoise, and Lapis lazuli, white metal along with a representation of deities and mantras that enhance their aesthetic look and spiritual value.
What is a Pendant?
A pendant is a loose hanging ornament attached to a plain and bare chain to feature large jewelry designed to hang in the middle of the chest area. These ornaments are versatile as they come in various shapes, sizes, and quality. They are famous pieces of ornament that can also be attached or worn with a necklace, cords, or ribbons and are used in earrings, bracelets, and various other wearables.
Pendants feature gemstones, symbols, signs and various carvings and may have religious, sentimental, and fashionable values. Besides, the use of materials such as teeth, and shells are also done to enhance religious and spiritual significance.
Meanwhile, in present days pendants are also used as lockets that can hold pictures or tiny objects. Spiritually, different religions symbolize these ornaments as sacred or lucky pieces of jewelry representing devotion, faith and spirituality.
| Feature | Pendant | Locket |
| Purpose | Hanging ornament primarily for decorative or spiritual purposes attached to a plain and bare chain or thread without any storage compartment | Type of pendant having a specific compartment or area to store symbols, text, images, and memories. |
| Common usage | Worn to enhance aesthetic and spiritual appearance. | Worn to enhance sentimental values and memories |
| Shape | Comes in various shapes and sizes including circular, rectangular, square, and oval shapes. | Mostly round or oval-shaped having a hinged opening. |
4 Major Types of Pendants
Pendants are available in a variety of materials, shapes, and designs and can be worn according to preference and occasion to hold symbolism and cultural value. These ornaments are used to express your unique fashion style and religious values. Some of the major types of Pendants are:
I. Stone Pendants
Stone pendants are one of the most popular ornaments reflecting the beauty of various natural gemstones such as diamonds, jade, quartz, and turquoise, along with having spiritual significance and healing properties. People wear them for various reasons, such as to enhance their fashion, personal beliefs, and wellness.
In Hinduism and Buddhism, stone pendants are used for meditation purposes and are believed to maintain emotional stability and mental clarity. Many people wear these ornaments based on their birth charts and zodiac signs, believing they bring good fortune and a deeper personal connection.
Along with great religious and spiritual meaning, stone pendants are also preferred since they hold unique colors, patterns, and appearances, enhancing personal beauty and adding deeper meaning to one’s appearance.
II. Tibetan Bone Pendants
Tibetan bone pendants are one of the unique wearable ornaments made up of Yak bones and hold significant spiritual and cultural values. In Tibetan Buddhism, these ornaments made from bone symbolize the instability of life, reminding the cycle of life, death and rebirth. These ornaments are available in different types such as in skull shape, the one representing the deity, and the one with sacred mantras.
Practitioners often wear a Tibetan bone pendant during meditation as this ornament is believed to enhance focus and spiritual focus. These jewellery are also used by monks and gurus while performing their daily spiritual practices as it helps in achieving enlightenment.
In the modern world, the Tibetan bone pendant has gained huge popularity among individuals seeking spiritual and culturally inspired ornaments. Whether wearable for spiritual aspects or modern fashion purposes, these ornaments hold significant emotional and symbolic values of holding beliefs of protective and healing properties.
III. Tibetan Metal Pendants
Tibetan metal pendants are hand-crafted ornaments made up of metals such as brass, copper, silver, and gold, which are deeply connected with Tibetan Buddhism. These are beautifully crafted ornaments engraved with symbols of Buddhism, mantras and prayers, carvings of deity, and symbols of protection.
Many Tibetans wear metal pendants daily with the faith of connection of their spirituality to the teaching of Buddha. These ornaments are worn while practicing meditation as they will help to enhance concentration and deepen spiritual connection. Also, wearing these ornaments is believed to have healing abilities and restore balance or purify energy.
While Buddhists mostly wear Tibetan metal pendants, these ornaments are currently popular and worn by many enthusiasts. These ornaments feature various options ranging between various designs and sizes.
IV. Five Metal Mix Pendants
Five metal mix pendants hold significant importance in Hindu and Buddhist cultural and religious practices. The accessories are made by mixing five sacred metals, including gold, silver, copper, iron, and zinc.
Gold symbolizes the sun and is associated with enlightenment and purity, and silver symbolizes the moon and is associated with emotional balance and calmness. Copper is believed to provide mental clarity and communication as a symbol of vibrancy and energy. Similarly, iron signifies strength and resistance to adverse influence. Meanwhile, zinc is believed to promote the connection between higher consciousness and divine knowledge.
The combination of five metals is considered to reach balance and harmony of energy that assist in spiritualizing and materializing the wearer. Along with the combination of these five metal ingredients, these accessories are mantras and symbols of deities such as Ganesha, Shiva, Vajrapani and Buddha engraved upon them, which are claimed to protect, gain wisdom and bless the wearer.
10 Must-Have Pendant Looks For You
A pendant is not only an ornament, it is a reflection of culture, belief, personality, and spirituality. Whether you are a gemstone lover or have an interest in crafted and traditional ones, these ornaments can surely redefine your personality. You can choose various shapes and designs of these ornaments to add charm and protection and wear them for positive energy.
If you are an enthusiast, these are the 10 must-have pendants for you to match your personality:
Rose Quartz Stone is also known as the stone of love as it is believed to bring peace and a loving environment. This ornament is regarded as valuable as it is used to attract love and strengthen romantic relationships, acting as equipment for cultivating love. Furthermore, a rose quartz stone pendant with a golden chain enhances its feeling by adding a premium and luxury touch, making it unmatchable for formal and informal wear.
A coral stone pendant necklace is a stone ornament attached to the necklace and is regarded as a symbol of modesty, wisdom, happiness, and immortality. This ornament gives a vibrant red-orange appearance and is believed to gain strength, vitality, and good fortune. Additionally, these ornaments are believed to ease health problems such as eye problems, digestive problems, and blood circulation disorders.
Jade is regarded as a symbol of purity and wisdom, having significant cultural and spiritual values, healing properties, and bringing balance and harmony to the wearer. When integrated with chain Necklaces, Jade stone is believed to enhance emotions and nerves. These perfectly made ornaments are excellent for both personal use and gifting.
The 1” peace sign carved Yak bone locket is a handmade pendant made from high-quality Yak bones carved with a peace sign in flower design. The Yak bone signifies the changing aspects of life, while the peace symbol carved in the bone represents peace and harmony. Similarly, the flower design of the bone represents spirituality and faithfulness, making it one of the must-have ornaments to wear.
Buddha’s eye in Buddhism represents inner peace and enlightenment, while the Tibetan mantra signifies spiritual power enhancing meditation, mindfulness, and protection. The Buddha Eye and Tibetan Mantra carved Yak bone locket are handmade from yak bone with crafted Buddha’s eye and Tibetan mantra symbolizing peace, enlightenment, and connection with the universe, making it have ornament having both spiritual and fashion significance.
The Jesus Christ Yak Bone locket is a handmade locket made up of Yak bone with cross shapes to represent the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. Such combination of Yak bone symbolizes knowledge transcending life and death, while the cross shapes the representation of Jesus, symbolizing his sacrifice for the sin of men. This ornament is perfect for both spiritual and fashion purposes as it gives an attractive look, adding value to wearers’ appearance.
Om is the sacred symbol in Hinduism which represents the sound of the universe. The symbol “Om” is also considered a mantra in Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism, symbolizing the ultimate reality and spiritual presence. The 1” Hindu Om Metal Pendant is made of metal using coral, turquoise, and Lapis lazuli. Such combination of various gemstones in white stone has enhanced the appeal of the ornament, while the engraving of Om in white metal helps to enhance nerves and astral circulation.
The Buddha eye and Tibetan mantra inlaid pendant necklace is made up of white metal integrated with Lapis lazuli, Turquoise, and Coral and engraved with Buddha Eye and Tibetan Mantra. Buddha’s eye carving represents peace and enlightenment, while the engraving of the Tibetan mantra symbolizes spiritual power to enhance mindfulness, meditation, and protection to the wearer. Furthermore the integration of gemstones such as turquoise improves communication and expression, Coral improves confidence, while Lapis Lazuli enhances spirituality.
The Coral and lapis lazuli lord Ganesha carved white metal pendant is a beautiful ornament carved with Lord Ganesha, regarded as a master of spiritual potency and intelligence in white metal. This beautifully carved ornament is handmade inlaid with imitation stone such as coral and lapis lazuli, which enhances the value and appearance of the ornament, making it perfect for personal use and gifting.
The golden color white metal Ganesha Pendant/Necklace is a beautiful handmade ornament carved with Ganesha in white metal, providing a golden appearance. While metal is believed to enhance the nerve and circulation while balancing emotion, the symbol of Ganesha is believed to enhance intelligence and knowledge.
Pendants are not just ornaments, but it is the representation of spirituality, personality, and a sample of artistic mastery. Whether you use these ornaments for spiritual purposes or fashion purposes, the use of appropriate pendants can elevate your personality and spirituality.
Locket Vs. Pendant: Know the Difference
As we have discussed the different variations of pendants and their spiritual and fashionable values, here we will discuss the difference between a Locket and a Pendant. Although both the pendant and locket have similar uses and are worn with spiritual and fashion meanings, there are some key differences between them.
A pendant is specifically a loose hanging ornament attached to a plain and bare chain to feature large jewelry designed to hang in the middle of the chest area. Meanwhile, a locket is a type of pendant that has a small compartment for the storage of pictures, engravings, or letters either for memories or to hold sentimental values.
While Pendants are open and visible and made up of gemstones, religious symbols, and minimalistic design, most lockets have hidden compartments that can open up to store pictures, secret messages, symbols, and letters. Both the locket and pendant are a sentimental and stylish piece of ornament that carries deep meaning and beliefs.
A pendant can be used if you want to reflect your style, express your spiritual beliefs, and your enthusiasm over the gemstones and carvings. Meanwhile, a locket can be chosen if you want to carry a sentimental piece that reflects deep emotional values and memories.
Shop the Best Pendant From Nirvana Mala
If you are looking to admire the pendant for personal use or to gift your loved ones then Nirvana Mala is the ultimate destination to visit. Nirvana Mala offers carefully crafted pendants that are inspired by Hindu and Tibetian traditions in various shapes and sizes matching your preferences.
Nirvana Mala offers:
- Authentic and genuine lab-tested gems and products
- Top-quality handcrafted artwork featuring Tibetan, Hindu, and spiritual influences.
- A unique collection of pendants and lockets, including Buddha Eye, Om, Ganesha, and Tibetan Mantra engravings.
- Reasonable price and express delivery services.
Whether you are looking for gemstone or metal-crafted pendants or varieties of locket, you can find perfect pieces of ornament to enhance your personality and appearance at Nirvana Mala.
Conclusion
The pendant is not just an ornament, but it is also a reflection of religious, sentimental, fashionable, and artistic mastery. Available in a variety of materials, shapes, and designs, these ornaments can be worn according to preference and occasion to hold symbolism and cultural value.
The types such as Stone, Tibetan bone, Tibetan metal, and five metal mix pendants are among the four major types of pendants often chosen by enthusiasts. The materials used in these ornaments, such as gemstones, metals, and engraving of deities and mantras, have unique spiritual and cultural values.
The pendant integrated with a gemstone such as coral, turquoise, and Lapis lazuli, a representation of deities in white metal, along with mantras, enhances its aesthetic look and spiritual value, making it a must-have ornament.
In this blog, we have explained the 4 Major Types of Pendants and their spiritual and aesthetic importance. If you want to know more about ritual and spiritual accessories, visit some of our blogs. Additionally, you can visit Nirvana Mala, where you can explore various spiritual and ritual accessories or handicrafts.
FAQs on Types of Pendants
1. What is the most popular pendant shape?
The ideal shape and size of the pendant depend upon personal choices and factors such as trends and fashion. However, in general, the ones shaped round, heart, pear and oval are the most popular shapes chosen by enthusiasts. Besides the symbolic shapes representing religion, such as crossed, Om-shaped, and Buddha’s eye carvings are also popular types of pendants.
2. How many types of pendants are there?
Pendants are available in various types, serving unique purposes to enhance aesthetic and spiritual appearance. Some of the major types are made up of different varieties of gemstones, bones, and metal and mixed with five metal components.
3. How to choose a pendant shape?
While choosing the appropriate shape of the pendant, consider the purpose and occasion to wear it. Ensure you choose one with a good chain length and shape that is comfortable to wear. The wearer with a round face can choose elongated shapes such as pear, oval, and rectangular to add a slimming effect, and one with a square face shape can choose round or heart-shaped pendants to match the look.
4. What is the luckiest pendant?
Pendants are believed to bring good luck, prosperity and positivity; however, the luckiest types may vary according to beliefs, culture, and wearer’s astronomical alignments. However, pendants such as four-leaf clover and those made using gemstone such as jade, turquoise, and citrine are believed to be the luckiest. Also, the one with a mixture of five metals, including copper, zinc, iron, silver, and gold, is considered as luckiest.
5. What is the best size pendant?
The best size of the pendant is also dependent upon the wearing occasion, body type, shape, and size of the wearer. However, in general, a small size of 0.5-1 inch is considered the best size to wear for everyday purposes while a medium-sized 1-2 inch can be best for formal and casual appearances. Similarly, the large size of 2-3 inches can be best for bold fashion appearance and cultural occasions.
6. How do you style a pendant?
You can style a pendant as per your choice and preference along with adding unique aesthetic and spiritual values. To give it a customized look, you can incorporate it with your favorable chain design or use different types of gemstones or metals as per your unique requirements.