22K and 14K Gold Nugget Crescent Moon Pendant

This crescent moon pendant is from the Alaskan Gold Rush era. The moon is a thin sliver, either a waxing or waning crescent in its moon cycle. On the front of the pendant are pieces of 22k Alaskan gold, which have been carefully soldered on top of a crescent moon 14k gold cutout. The encrusted gold nuggets create a beautiful visual texture. A lovely patina shadows the crevices of the gold, drawing the eye to the unique shape of each nugget.  In the center of the pendant is a sliver of fossilized walrus tusk, which was added when the piece was created circa 1910. The sliver of tusk is dimensional, polished into a knife-edge shape, and its colors compliment the pendant’s gold.

“Native Gold Nuggets” is engraved on the back of the pendant, signifying that the piece is from the Alaskan Gold Rush of 1896-1899, and was most likely sold by the Inuit people to the tourist trade.

This piece was originally a brooch, but a twisted gold wire bail has been added by Kirsten’s Corner so that it can be worn on a chain. The pin stem was carefully removed, making this a great contemporary piece.

The piece is 22k gold on the front and is backed in 14k gold . It weighs 4.4 grams. The height of the crescent moon is one and 5/8 of an inch, with a 6.65mm bail. It looks great as a necklace, and the chain shown in the picture is also available for purchase through the store.