Memento mori — remember that you die.
The Father Time Ruling The World (Memento Mori) Pendant is the old vanitas arrangement built as a piece of open sculpture rather than a flat plate. Every element of the tradition is here and carved separately: the scythe, the hourglass, the globe, and the bones.
Father Time presides at the top, crowned by a mass of fused skulls with a jaw dropping open beneath them. A long scythe runs diagonally through the whole composition, its blade left mirror-polished and curving clear of the piece — the one bright, unbroken surface anywhere on it.
Below him a full skeleton lies back across the globe, ribs cut one by one, spine and arm bones articulated down to the fingers. An hourglass stands beside him, its frame posts carved as bone.
The globe is the anchor: a sphere with continents raised and polished against a satin sea, banded by a ring and crossed by its axis. Smaller skeletons clamber around its lower half, each one carved with its own ribcage and skull, and more skeletal limbs link away beneath it.
The piece is pierced throughout — open between the bones, under the scythe, around the globe. There is very little solid metal here for its size, which is what makes a casting like this difficult and what gives it depth from every angle.
The whole is left satin so the modelling holds shadow, with polish saved for the scythe blade, the continents and the high points of the bone.
Why You’ll Love It:
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The Full Vanitas – Scythe, hourglass, globe and skulls, each carved as a separate element
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Pierced Throughout – Open sculpture rather than a raised face on a plate
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Bone-by-Bone Carving – Ribs, spines and finger joints cut individually across every figure
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Polished Scythe Blade – The single bright surface against an otherwise satin piece
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Solid Gold Throughout – No stones and no plating
The chain shown in the photographs is not included.
Made to order, turnaround time is typically 2-4 weeks.
Specifications
| Dimensions |
2” in height including bail |
| Bail Opening |
5mm |
| Chain |
Not included |
Estimated Weight by Purity
| Purity |
Approx. Weight |
| 10K |
26.2g |
| 14K |
29.8g |
| 18K |
35.0g |
| 22K |
40.7g |
| 24K |
43.8g |
Approximate Weight Notice
Due to the handcrafted nature of our jewelry and natural variations in gold alloys, listed weights are approximate. Minor differences may occur from piece to piece. These variations are a normal part of fine jewelry production and reflect the individuality of each item. For any changes or questions, please use the "Custom Work" page.
