Damaskos Byzantine 18K Gold Constantinato Cross with Turquoise – Double Sided 2,5g

The Constantinato cross is one of the most storied forms in Byzantine jewelry. This pendant presents two distinct faces: one bearing the Greek inscription ICXC NIKA alongside a round turquoise stone, the other depicting Constantine the Great and Saint Helen — the emperor and his mother who, according to tradition, brought the True Cross to Byzantium. The double-sided format is specific to the Constantinato type and carries both devotional and protective meaning that has traveled across centuries of Greek culture.

The pendant is cast in 18K gold and finished entirely by hand in the Damaskos workshop in Athens. Weighing approximately 2.5 grams and measuring 2.50 by 1.40 centimeters, it is sized for daily wear. The turquoise is set flush within the gold, its cool blue-green tone sitting in deliberate contrast against the warm metal. Every surface detail — the lettering, the figurative relief, the stone setting — is worked at the bench, not by machine.

Damaskos has produced Byzantine and Archaic jewelry in Athens for decades, drawing on techniques documented in ancient and medieval Greek goldsmithing. Traditionally given to infants as a lucky charm, the Constantinato holds a place in Greek family life that goes beyond ornament. Worn daily or passed forward, this piece connects the wearer to a specific, living tradition. Also available in additional stone variants — contact Brilliant Athens for options.