Damaskos Byzantine 18K Gold Cross with Natural Stones & Diamonds

This double-sided cross pendant is built around a single defining contrast: one face set with brilliant-cut rubies and diamonds, the other given over entirely to Byzantine relief ornamentation. It is not a cross that reads the same from every angle — it changes depending on how it is worn and how the light falls.

The surface is finished using the martillé technique, a method of hand-hammering the gold to produce a subtly textured, matte-velvety face that scatters light rather than reflecting it directly. This is what separates the piece visually from high-polish or machine-finished gold. The rubies and diamonds on the front face are set to catch and redirect that same diffused light, creating depth rather than flash. The cross is cast and finished in 18K gold, weighing 16.7 grams — substantial enough to register on the body without heaviness.

Damaskos is an Athenian atelier that has worked continuously in Byzantine and Archaic goldsmithing traditions for decades. Each piece is made by hand in their Athens workshop, using techniques that predate industrial jewelry production by centuries. This cross is equally suited to daily wear and to occasions that call for something with meaning behind it — the kind of piece passed on rather than traded in.