Brass Gold-plated Four-leaf Flower Pendant

Gold-plated brass, a shade paler than plain copper and on the lemon side. The four-petal flower is the pendant's only form: four petals, a circle at the centre, no stones at all, held up entirely by the light and shade of the metal. With no stone to look at, the workmanship is all exposed. Whether the petal curves run smoothly, whether the edge carries a burr, is visible at a glance. The gold colour comes from the plating, not from the metal beneath; wear through and the colour is simply different.

In the West the four-leaf form means luck; in China a four-petal shape is more often a simplified flower, the persimmon-calyx pattern among them. That pattern was already in use in the Han dynasty, four symmetric petals, and it often sits at the centre of bronze mirrors and lacquerware. The two shapes are close and their origins are not. None of this is in mind while the piece is being made, and whoever looks at it can read it either way. A symbol used by enough people simply widens. The persimmon-calyx pattern takes its name from the fruit's calyx, and its four petals match the base of a persimmon.

The petals are domed, high at the middle and low at the edge, and light slides from the centre of each petal out to the tip. Fine gaps are left between petals rather than soldering them into one mass, which keeps the piece looking light. The gaps are cut deep and even, and from the side a little light passes through. The four petals are identical in size and angle — that is the basis of the symmetry, and a small deviation reads as crooked.

The back is flat with a loop at the centre. Plating seals the brass and slows oxidation considerably, but edges and the loop, where things rub, will still show base metal first. When it does, the colour goes from pale yellow to a reddish tone, and the line is conspicuous because the plating around it is still bright. To slow that, put a thin coat of clear nail varnish on the loop; thin is enough. The loop sits slightly above centre, so the pendant tips forward naturally when hung.

On a necklace this is best worn alone, on a fine chain, finishing at the collarbone. On a bracelet it needs heavier beads to balance it, or it looks top-light. Keep plated pieces away from perfume; alcohol dissolves plating. Wipe with a dry cloth after wearing in summer, since sweat left on the surface ages the plating faster. Bag it when not worn, and keep it away from silver — the two metals scratch each other when they knock together.