Good and Beautiful Enough, Sterling Silver Motto Pendant, Lion and Pavilion, Heraldic Button Necklace

"Good and beautiful enough." In French, "Bonne et belle assez."

French heraldic mottoes carry a different character than Latin ones. They come from the chivalric tradition of the Middle Ages, from a culture where allegiance, valor, and personal virtue were the things a family chose to announce about itself. This family chose sufficiency, worth that doesn't depend on proving anything to anyone. That's a considered choice for a heraldic motto.

The pendant shows the lion seated beneath a pavilion, a draped tent of the kind associated with medieval tournaments and the highest ranks of heraldic display. In the tradition of heraldry, the pavilion was a symbol of nobility and rank, used to frame a coat of arms on the most elaborate achievements. The lion has signified courage and strength in heraldic imagery since the earliest coats of arms were recorded in the 12th century.

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: Firmin & Sons, one of Britain's longest-established livery button makers, dated by its markings to between 1876 and 1894.

Cast sterling silver. Hallmarked Blue Piranha and .925.

This pendant measures just under 1½ inches (3.8 cm) long, 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, about the size of a U.S. quarter. Weight is 7.9 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 woman who is done measuring herself against other people's standards. A gift for the friend who needs to hear it, or the one who already knows it and wants to wear the reminder. A birthday for someone who has spent too long being told she isn't enough. Self-purchase for the collector drawn to mottoes that mean something personal.

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