Fortune Favors the Bold, Sterling Silver Motto Pendant, Lion and Crown, Heraldic Livery Button Necklace

"Fortune favors the bold." The phrase has been earning its keep for over two thousand years. The earliest known reference is from the first century CE. Pliny the Elder reportedly said it as he pushed off from the docks at Pompeii in 79 AD, heading toward the eruption of Vesuvius to attempt a rescue. It became a heraldic motto for families across Britain and Europe, appeared on the coats of arms of military regiments, and has been in continuous use in the Western world ever since.

The pendant shows the motto below a lion and crown. The lion has signified strength and courage in heraldic tradition since the earliest coats of arms were recorded, while the crown above it signals rank and authority. The phrase also references Fortuna, the goddess of luck and fortune to the Romans, known to favor those who make their own opportunities in life.

The pendant is cast from an antique livery button. These buttons were worn in the 18th and 19th centuries by soldiers, household staff, and royal servants, each one bearing the crest or insignia of the family they served. The back of the button retains its original factory marking: Pitt & Company, London, one of the main livery button manufacturers in Britain at the turn of the century.

Cast sterling silver. Hallmarked Blue Piranha and .925.

This pendant measures 1¼ inches (3.2 cm) long, 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide, about the size of a U.S. quarter. Weight is 7 grams.

Each pendant is available without a chain. If you'd like to add one, I offer several lengths and styles, please choose from the options at checkout. Every chain comes with a 2-inch extender so you can vary the length.

Your purchase arrives gift boxed, presented in a soft pouch with a story card.

Good for: the person who makes their own opportunities. A gift for the history reader or the classicist. A graduation gift with two thousand years of encouragement behind it. Self-purchase for the collector who wants a pendant that has been saying the right thing for a very long time.

Questions? Please message me. I'm happy to help.