Details

About the Silver Shell Charm 13mm, Scallop

It's a proper scallop shell charm: about eight deep ribs fan out from the hinge to a scalloped lower edge. It's chunkier and more rounded than our 12mm shell, whose ribs are finer and shallower, and it holds 2.2g of silver against the 12mm's 1.6g.

That depth is why it's the shell to wear on a chain. If you're looking for necklace silver charms, clip it onto a fine chain and it becomes a silver scallop shell pendant, chunky enough to show its ribs.

The scallop has been worn this way for centuries. The London Museum explains that medieval pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela bought real scallop shells and wore them round their necks or on their bags, and when demand outstripped the shells, metal ones were sold instead. The scallop is still the symbol of St James, the patron saint of pilgrims.

It's a rhodium plated shell charm: solid 925 sterling silver, plated with rhodium, a hard, white metal from the platinum family. Rhodium plating gives a bright, cool white shine and helps slow tarnish, though it can wear in time on a charm worn every day.

It also works as one of your silver charms for a bracelet: the lobster clasp clips onto a link chain, including our 19cm silver charm bracelet chain, and at 13mm it's a mid-sized charm that stands out without taking over. Or clip it to a bag or purse.