Wolf Alpha Head Pendant

Worked in relief

It sounds like a technicality and it is the difference between a pendant that looks flat and one that has depth.

The head here is raised. The shape sits proud of the disc, so the muzzle, the ears and the ruff catch the light at different angles as you turn it, and the grass and undergrowth struck into the field behind the head sit lower and darker than the animal.

On a piece worn daily against clothing, the high points brighten with time while the shadowed recesses stay dark. The contrast tends to build rather than fade.

Keeping the contrast

The one thing a darkened relief needs is an occasional clean. The recesses collect skin oil and dust, and when they fill, the contrast that makes the design readable disappears.

A soft dry cloth every few weeks is enough. A soft toothbrush for the deeper cuts if it has been ignored for a year.

On the word alpha

Worth a note. The term came from a study of unrelated captive wolves, and the researcher who made it famous spent years asking people to stop using it.

Wild packs are families. The pair in charge are the parents, which is a better thing to wear than a rank you won.

Our article on what alpha really means has the story. See wolf pendant necklaces.

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