Product Details

Exceptional antique Chinese dragon pendant carved from richly colored stone with a deep green chalcedony ground alive with natural scarlet-red, rust, yellow and blue-green inclusions. The carving has wonderful old-world character—it does not have the perfectly uniform, machine-finished appearance of modern commercial carvings. Subtle irregularities, surface abrasion and hand-finished details remain visible. The remarkable depth and intricacy of the carving are especially important. Considerable stone was removed to create the deeply dimensional dragon, with complex overlapping forms, undercut areas and individually worked details. This degree of labor-intensive lapidary work substantially elevates its desirability and value beyond simpler shallow-carved examples. Dating is intentionally conservative; characteristics of the carving and hand workmanship suggest it may be considerably older. Finished with a simple sterling silver bail.