Will a rough silver chain damage a jade pendant?

[Dee*Jay]

I bought a jade pendant and a chain to wear it on over the weekend but I'm concerned that the chain will damage the pendant. The chain goes though the triangular area where the nose meets the tail. There's quite a bit of movement with the pendant swinging, and I don't want to wear a groove in the pendant. I could always get a different chain that is more flexible so I can tie it up in a way that's stationary but I like the chain I got for it. There's also the option of putting it on a cord of some kind, but that never looks quite "finished" to me, especially if I were to wear this in a more dressed up situation. Any advice here will be appreciated!

 

[kenny]

Beautiful piece!

I'd look for some nice shiny black silk, or maybe fire-engine red silk.

 

[monarch64]

Lovely! I have a jade fish pendant that was given to me long ago by my lovely co-workers at a department store I worked at (in the "fine jewelry" department!) It has a very fine 14k gold wire bail. I agree with Kenny's suggestion of a silk cord. I do think any metal rubbing against the piece might cause damage.

 

[thecat]

If you thread it at where you describe, the dragon/phoenix is facing upright right? Did there used to be a bale at the bottom of the pendant? There's a hole there but then the dragon/phoenix won't be upright anymore if you fix a bale at that hole.

 

[stracci2000]

It looks like there was once a bale attached, based on the drill hole.
I would get someone who works with jewelry to attach a bale in there, and wear it that way.
You could buy a bale online and do it yourself. Many different kinds are available and are easy to attach.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Thanks Kenny and Monnie -- I was quite taken with it!

Thecat, I think the hole at the "bottom" could also be for a tassle...? I made the executive decision (well two actually) that I like the dragon's head/tail at the top rather than the bottom, and that I don't think I'm really the tassle type (it's enough that this thing is as big as the palm of my hand, LOL, totally outside the type of delicate bejeweled things I normally wear). That being said, am I making some terrible mistake; i.e., DOES the head/tail go at the bottom for a symbolic reason or something else... ?

Stracci, there is a store that carries jewelry supplies near me (where I got the cord yesterday actually) and I could get a bale there and put it in the hole. Hmm... I'm starting to look at this upside down/right side up thing differently now...

 

[thecat]

I'd want to keep the head upright too. How about drilling a hole to the left of the triangle, closer the head than the tail position, and attach a bale there? And you should totally post a photo! I'd love statement pieces like this. Can't wait to see how a palm sized pendant looks like.