Albrecht Dürer drew these hands in 1508. They have been copied ever since.
The Study of the Hands of an Apostle Pendant is a free-cut sculpture — no plate, no frame, the outline is the hands themselves. Two palms pressed together and tilted slightly off vertical, fingers extended, with the knuckles, nail beds and the tendon lines across the backs of the hands all modelled.
Below the wrists the sleeve breaks into deep folds and spreads out to form the base of the piece. That drapery is roughly a third of the whole thing, and it is what gives a pair of hands enough visual weight to work as a pendant.
The finish is satin throughout with only the bail left bright — the right call, because polish on a form this smooth would flatten the modelling into a single highlight.
At 33.2mm by 18.4mm and 13g in 18K it takes a chain up to 5.5mm.
Dürer made the drawing in brush and ink on blue paper as a study for an altarpiece that burned in 1729. The study outlived the painting by three hundred years and counting.
Why You’ll Love It:
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Free-Cut Sculpture – No backing plate; the outline is the hands
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Anatomically Modelled – Knuckles, nails and tendon lines all carved
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Deep Sleeve Folds – Drapery spreading into the base, about a third of the piece
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Satin Throughout – Matte finish so the modelling reads instead of glaring
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Solid Gold Throughout – No stones and no plating
Chain not included.
Made to order, turnaround time is typically 2-4 weeks.
Specifications
| Dimensions |
33.2mm × 18.4mm (1.31” × 0.72”), not including bail |
| Chain Fit |
Up to 5.5mm |
| Chain |
Not included |
Estimated Weight by Purity
| Purity |
Approx. Weight |
| 10K |
9.8g |
| 14K |
11.1g |
| 18K |
13.0g |
| 22K |
15.1g |
| 24K |
16.2g |
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.
