The allure of gold continues to permeate throughout Singaporean society, given the precious metal’s legacy of luxury and historicity, especially with Singapore’s status as a trading hub that continues even today. Gold has deep roots in various aspects of our modern society; its cultural significance is carried over from generation to generation in different forms, including beautiful gold pendant necklaces.
Gold pendants are a common choice for a beautiful personal adornment that also serves as a good luck charm. If you want to add some good fortune while looking your best, you can never go wrong with the right gold pendant you would love to include with your wardrobe.
The Symbolism of Gold Pendants
Gold remains a culturally relevant commodity in Singapore’s multicultural setting, extending beyond its material worth. For example, the Peranakan culture—descended from Chinese immigrants who lived in the Malay archipelago from the 15th to 17th centuries—takes various cues from Chinese, Malay, and Indonesian designs to create gold jewellery with vibrant colours, intricate patterns, meaningful motifs, and a nature-centric focus. It is not merely a bejewelled statement piece but also a reflection of the culture’s rich tapestry and influences.
Most notably, multiple cultures view gold with much reverence. Gold is said to protect its wearer from evil, a belief widespread in cultures as far back as ancient Egypt and China and continues even today. The same applies to the belief that gold also symbolises good fortune, especially when gold is frequently associated with prosperity and prestige. Different cultures view good luck through various symbols, with some associating deities, animals, and nature as icons of auspicious fortune.
Even today, the symbolism of gold remains in our subconscious, so it is no surprise that we find some solace in owning a gold pendant to usher in many good things to our lives.
Elephants
Many legends view elephants as bringers of good luck, with the Indian community viewing elephants as a manifestation of the god of luck, Ganesha. The divinity associated with elephants, alongside their gentle, caring nature within their herds, has enabled elephants to develop this reputation as fortuitous symbols. You may have seen elephant statues placed near the door with their trunk held aloft (sometimes carrying a gold coin) as a method of welcoming auspicious luck into the home; similar principles apply to gold elephant pendants on necklaces, serving as your personal harbingers of good luck.
Chinese Zodiac Animals
Wearing a gold pendant with your Chinese zodiac animal is another way to bring good luck with you at all times. You will typically wear a gold pendant with the Chinese zodiac animal that corresponds to your year of birth to help improve your luck at all times, but you can also add your secret Zodiac ally (who is compatible with your own Zodiac sign) to your necklace to further enhance your good luck.
Auspicious Characters and Designs
In the Chinese language, many characters carry auspicious meanings, with simple ones such as the number eight representing prosperity while the number nine represents longevity. Various symbols and designs also have many good tidings associated with them, such as the mystic knot that symbolises abundance and protection from ills, among other things.
You may also see these used as gold pendants for good luck as well:
- One of the simplest pendants you can have is three Chinese lucky coins tied together with a red ribbon, a simple attractor of financial abundance.
- The dragon turtle is a formidable beast of legend and is commonly associated with long life, prosperity and strength.
- The Chinese pronunciation of the word fish is similar to another word that represents surplus, so it is no surprise that they are associated with wealth and abundance.
- The lucky cat with its paw raised is a ubiquitous symbol of welcoming good luck. A raised right paw means that the cat is attracting money and good fortune, while a raised left paw calls for friendship and new customers. Both paws raised typically means to invite both, but it is usually reserved for businesses; most lucky cat pendants will have one of their paws raised.
Laughing Buddha
The Laughing Buddha is frequently associated with the god of happiness and prosperity; his smiling visage and portly figure are well known in many cultures as a representation of joy, reminding people to see the humour in all things. Having a Laughing Buddha companion as a gold pendant will help you attract wealth and good fortune while guiding you through the highs and lows of life. Many Laughing Buddha pendants also sport auspicious writings to bolster your good luck, too.
Abacus
The abacus is a traditional calculating tool used by various ancient cultures to help them with accounting and solving mathematical problems. Given its association with businesses, the abacus is generally considered a symbol of prosperity; it is common for many business owners to have an abacus pendant or keychain to help multiply their wealth luck in more ways than one.
Four-Leaf Clover
The familiar silhouette of the four-leaf clover is an unmistakable good luck charm known worldwide. While it is unclear how its reputation as a good luck charm started, part of its legacy may stem from the plant’s rarity; some believe that the chances of finding one in the wild are 1 in 5,000 or 1 in 10,000. As such, carrying a four-leaf clover is frequently cited as inviting fortune and prosperity into your life.
Choosing the Right Lucky Gold Pendant
Picking out a lucky gold pendant ultimately depends on your personal preferences regarding what you would like to adorn your neck with. Even so, here are a few key considerations to consider when selecting one you will be wearing for a long time.
Karat Weight
While pure gold (or 999 gold, containing 99.9 per cent gold) continues to be popular, it may not ideal for everyday jewellery as it is soft and can easily be damaged or tarnished from regular use. You can find a variety of other gold karat weights with different gold purities, including 14 and 18-karat gold. These are also excellent picks for durable everyday jewellery thanks to their higher alloy content, enhancing their overall durability and unique colours like 18-karat rose gold with its distinctive rosy hue that help them stand out.
Many people are also keen to pick out 916 gold (22-karat gold, containing 91.6 per cent pure gold) due to its relatively high gold content and impressive durability, lending it an attractive quality and sheen matched by its high market price.
Craftsmanship
It never hurts to prioritise quality over your lucky gold pendant needs, especially if you are looking for a permanent addition that you will love to wear out at all times. A lucky gold pendant can only provide benefits as long as you wear it, and it will reflect who you are and beyond. We advise picking something well-crafted that meets your quality standards; there is still elegance and beauty even in simpler designs. Plus, you are not losing anything from the pendant’s symbolism!
It might help to write down what you want from your lucky gold pendant. Does it need to be big? Does it need to be intricately detailed down to the last millimetre? Are you looking for specific traits in your pendant? Keep these in mind as you scrutinise your choices carefully; speak to the jeweller for more information to help you decide.
Hallmark
A hallmark is a vital indicator that denotes the gold purity of a gold pendant as assigned by an authorised assay office, which is responsible for testing the purity of various precious metals like gold. A hallmark serves as an identifier that tells you this particular gold jewellery is authentic as approved by a registered authority; think of it as a seal of approval to show that the gold you buy is legitimate.
In Singapore, the Singapore Assay Office (SAO) has over 40 years of experience in hallmarking and is recognised by the London Bullion Market Association, which is reserved only for institutions with the highest level of assaying expertise and standards. You should ensure that any gold pendants you buy have a hallmark with the SAO’s logo to ensure that you are not buying fake gold.
Quality Assured with Merlin Goldsmith’s Exquisite Collection
Merlin Goldsmith is here to assist you with all your gold shopping needs. We have a unique lineup of lucky gold pendant necklaces for your perusal and guarantee that each is an authentic gold piece. With years of experience in the industry, we aspire to be Singapore's No. 1 gold jewellery store. Visit our store today to take advantage of our great rates and excellent customer service. We are keen to help you with your gold shopping!