Start with the three skulls of see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil. Most skull pendants bought here are that one design, nearly all in sterling silver. It stands 1.9 inches tall. At about 21 grams it wears every day on a medium chain. Pick the matte pendant, the glossy one or the polished set with its chain, and go to 14K only if you want the same skulls in gold.
The three skulls: see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil skull pendant
Buy the three skulls first. It is the old proverb of the three wise monkeys, cast as skulls that cover the eyes, the ears and the mouth. The silver one comes in two finishes. Matte keeps the carving easy to read, and it hides light scratches. Glossy throws more light and shows wear sooner. Both measure 1.35 by 1.9 inches. The set hangs the same skulls on their own chain, ready to wear.
Silver or gold: sterling silver skull pendant or 14K gold skull pendant
Take sterling silver. Nearly every skull bought here was silver, and it lets a big skull wear light. Sterling is 92.5 percent silver, and it darkens with wear until a soft cloth brings it back. Go to gold when you want a skull that hardly ever needs that cloth. Most of the gold skulls are 14K, and nearly all the gold ones come in yellow, white or rose, your pick. The silver trio weighs 20.6 grams. The same skulls in gold weigh 26.3.
The chain: what chain for a skull pendant, and how long
The typical skull here stands about 1.9 inches, big enough to read across a room without covering the chest. Hang the silver trio on a medium chain. On a 20-inch chain it sits near the collarbone. A 22 or 24-inch chain drops it lower on the chest. Past about 30 grams, choose a solid chain. The biggest, a pharaoh head in gold, weighs 141.6 grams and needs your heaviest chain. Before you buy, make sure the bail, the loop at the top, clears the chain you own.
Diamonds and stones: diamond skull pendant, natural or lab-grown
All but one diamond skull names its origin on the listing, natural on 12. More than half the skulls carry diamonds. The 10K prong bezel skull and the big pharaoh head name natural side diamonds. The custom skull with a lab-grown center and the Deathblade's eyes carry lab-grown diamonds. Some skulls add color. The silver Indian skull wears ruby, the crow skull black diamonds, and the small Deathblade blue sapphires on its dagger handle.
Beyond the trio: pharaoh skulls, crowned skulls and custom skull pendants
Look past the trio when you want a skull few men wear. Every pharaoh skeleton is 14K gold. The mini weighs about 18 grams, and the big head is the heaviest piece here. The crowned pair is a silver King set and the Liberty crown. That listing says 14K but also gold-tone, so ask us whether it is solid gold. A dagger, a cross, a mask and a half skull fill out this page. For a skull of your own, photograph it from the front, the side and the back, then send the pictures through the live chat, or text the photos to 212-872-9692 from 10 AM ET. The Deathblade listing already offers black PVD or black diamonds on request.