A gourd-shaped medallion, and the gourd is the Buddha.
The Small Happy Buddha Diamond Pendant is cut to a calabash outline — a small round lobe above a wider one — and the shape is not a frame dropped around the figure, it is the figure. The head fills the upper lobe and the belly fills the lower one, so the silhouette of the piece and the silhouette of Budai are the same line.
The relief is sandblasted and the metal around it is polished. Budai is cut in low relief and finished to a fine frosted matte — the creased eyes, the open laugh, the long earlobes, the bare chest and the round belly all read through texture rather than through shine. Everything around him, the rim and the setting, is left bright. At this size that split is the whole design: a mirror-polished face would lose the expression entirely.
A single row of round diamonds follows the outline all the way round, riding the curve of the head, pinching in at the waist and opening out again around the belly. Approximately 42 stones in the halo, each in its own bead setting between a polished inner rim and a polished outer edge.
The back is entirely openwork. A central medallion carries the 福 (fú) character — fortune — and it is ringed by a band of pierced Chinese cash coins, square holes and all, with a second course of the same coin pattern running round the outer border. Every one of those shapes is cut clean through, so the back is a screen rather than a plate.
The piece is hollow on the inside. Front relief and openwork back are built as two shells with a cavity between them, which is what keeps a 23.7mm medallion at 8.5 grams in 14K instead of the much heavier solid it would otherwise be. Look through the back and you are looking into the body of the pendant.
The bail is a hinged two-row pavé post — seven pairs on the front face, roughly 14 stones — with a 5mm opening. The reverse of the bail is left plain and polished.
Budai is the laughing monk of Chinese folk tradition, taken as a figure of contentment and plenty rather than of austerity. The coins and the fú character on the reverse are the same wish said twice.
Why You’ll Love It:
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Cut to the Gourd – The outline of the pendant is the outline of the figure
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Frosted Relief, Polished Frame – The expression carried by texture, not by shine
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Diamonds All the Way Round – A single row following every curve of the silhouette
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Openwork Coin-and-Fú Back – Cash coins and the fortune character, cut clean through
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Hollow Build – Two shells with a cavity between, keeping an everyday weight
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Two-Row Pavé Bail – Hinged, with a 5mm opening
Chain not included.
Made to order, turnaround time is typically 2-4 weeks.
Estimated Weight by Purity
| Purity |
Approx. Weight |
| 10K |
7.5g |
| 14K |
8.5g |
| 18K |
10.0g |
| 22K |
11.6g |
Total carat weight: Approximately .9tcw
Estimated number of stones: Approximately 56
Dimensions: 23.7mm height without the bail; 33.5mm overall with the bail
Bail opening: 5mm
Chain not included
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.
