Damaskos Byzantine 18K Gold Cross with Emerald & Diamonds Martile Finish

This cross pendant draws directly from the Byzantine goldsmithing tradition — spare in composition, precise in execution. The form is simple and architectural, with the design detail concentrated in surface texture and stone setting rather than ornamental excess.

The piece is worked in 18K gold using a martillé finish: a hand-hammering technique that produces a fine, velvety surface texture across the gold, diffusing light rather than reflecting it directly. Granulation — the application of tiny gold spheres fused to the surface without solder — frames the central emerald, a technique dating to ancient Greece and requiring exacting heat control. The emerald weighs 0.06 ct at 2.30 mm; four round diamonds at 1.80 mm each total 0.08 ct. Every element is shaped and set by hand in the Damaskos workshop.

Damaskos is one of Athens’ most respected goldsmithing ateliers, working exclusively in ancient and Byzantine techniques that have been practiced in Greece for over two millennia. This cross is sized and finished for daily wear — substantial enough to read as a statement piece, restrained enough to move from morning to evening without adjustment. It is the kind of piece that is worn continuously and eventually passed on.