Christening Set Nicholas 925 Silver Gold Plated — Christening Spoon + Cross Pendant

Saint Nicholas is the saint in Orthodoxy to whom parents entrust their children. He sits right here at the head of the spoon: an icon in a medallion, the figure of the saint gilded, the background around it matte silver. Below it runs a handle full of openwork tendrils. It comes with an Orthodox cross on the eyelet. Both pieces are in a hinged case, with a satin ribbon around the handle.

What's in the case

Two pieces with two different life paths. The spoon measures 11.3 centimeters and weighs about 13 grams — short enough for a child's hand, heavy enough to feel substantial. It stays in the house and later moves to the display cabinet. The cross pendant is two centimeters long and weighs one gram; it waits until the child is old enough to wear it. Together, the set weighs about 14 grams of 925 silver.

A chain is deliberately not included — parents decide on the length and timing. The same combination is also available in antique blackened finish, where the icon is darkly drawn instead of golden. Further combinations can be found under Baptism Gift Sets.

Nicholas the Wonderworker — why him of all people

Nicholas of Myra, called "Nicholas the Wonderworker" in the East, is the saint who is called upon first by children. He is considered the patron saint of children, travelers, and seafarers — and is therefore the usual companion for a child who is just starting out in Orthodox families. On the medallion, the icon shows him in bishop's vestments, his right hand raised in blessing, the Gospel in his left. To his right and left are the Cyrillic abbreviations for "Saint Nicholas, Wonderworker".

The handle below does not bear a child's motif, but openwork tendrils in ancient Russian ornament — the same visual language known from icon frames. The set is therefore not limited to boys or girls: no pink, no blue, just silver and gold. Related pieces can be found under Orthodox gifts made of 925 silver.

This spoon shape is available with three different icons — in addition to this motif with the Kazan Mother of God and with Christ Pantocrator. The spoon body is the same for all; the medallion at the head of the handle and with it the blessing on the back are exchanged. Those who have several godchildren can thus choose three cohesive yet distinct gifts.

Silver with partial gilding

The spoon and cross are made of 925 sterling silver. The figure of the saint in the medallion is selectively gilded — not the entire piece. This contrast is the real artistic trick: the golden Nicholas emerges from the matte silver background, just as an icon emerges from its frame. Everything else — handle, tendrils, bowl, and cross pendant — remains bright polished silver.

Polishing is done by hand, with cotton rolls, to a mirror finish and without rhodium plating. This is a conscious decision by the manufacturer: a rhodium layer would delay tarnishing but also change the warm tone of the silver. Here, you see the silver itself — and can care for it with a polishing cloth without damaging a coating.

To be clear, as it is often confused with Russian silver: This piece bears no niello. Niello is a black metal paste melted into engraved lines — a completely different technique from Veliky Ustyug. Those looking for this dark aesthetic will find it in the Nielloa Baptism Collection.

Consecrated in Kolchugino

The pieces in this series are consecrated before delivery — by the local Orthodox community of the Svyato-Pokrovsky Church in Kolchugino, Vladimir region, Alexandrov Eparchy of the Moscow Patriarchate. A small certificate of this is included in the case.

For Orthodox families, this is often the point where a baptismal gift differs from a pretty spoon.

How to recognize real silver

Each piece comes with a sealed label from the factory. It states the manufacturer, the designation, the item number, the silver weight, and a unique identification number (UIN). In addition, there is the stamped 925 hallmark, the manufacturer's hallmark, the ArgentA mark, and the quality control stamp.

The hallmark is clearly structured: the first letter stands for the year of manufacture, the second for the responsible state assay office, and the rest for the company. The UIN can also be used to look up the piece in the state register for precious metals. It sounds technical — but in everyday life, it is exactly what demonstrably differentiates silver from silver-plated items.

The back: blessing, tendrils, and space for a name

The spoon is also designed on the back — you only see this when you turn it over. On the back of the medallion is a raised blessing in four lines of Cyrillic script: "Святителю отче Николае, моли Бога о мне" — "Holy Father Nicholas, pray to God for me". This is the traditional Orthodox invocation of the Saint, as spoken in prayer. So the Saint is on one side in image and on the other in word.

The back of the bowl features a circumferential border of delicate spiral tendrils, enclosing a mirror-polished central field and converging into a denser tendril motif at the spoon tip. A detail that no one sees while eating — and yet it is there. This is how you recognize a piece that was not built at first glance.

In between, on the back of the handle below the medallion, the surface remains deliberately smooth and mirror-polished. This is where there is space for an engraving: a short name, and if written compactly, also the baptismal date. More will not fit — the handle tapers downwards. But that is exactly enough for the one line that makes a gift a special gift.

You can view all three areas without holding the spoon: In the image gallery above, there is a product video where the set is rotated — first the front with the icon, then the back with the blessing, engraving area, and tendril border. The detail panel in the gallery also shows the same three areas in close-up.

The Orthodox Cross

The pendant is small yet fully detailed: the ends of the beams run into cloverleaf shapes, the corpus sits in relief in the center, and the ornament continues down to the base. The three-leaf ends represent the Trinity in Christian iconography; this form is widely used in Orthodox baptismal crosses. The surface remains brightly polished — without enamel, without gilding.

Care: so the gold retains its luster

After use, warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft cloth are sufficient. No dishwasher and no abrasive cleaners — the gilding is a thin layer and cannot withstand scrubbing. Use a silver polishing cloth only on the silver surfaces, not on the gilded medallion. Silver immersion baths are generally not recommended for partially gilded pieces. This is detailed in our silver care instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Baptism Set

From what age is the spoon suitable?
As cutlery from weaning age. It is usually given earlier — for baptism, often even at birth.

Is the entire spoon gilded?
No, only the figure of the saint in the medallion. This exact contrast makes the icon legible. Handle, bowl, and cross remain bright silver.

Is the set for a girl or a boy?
For both. It comes without colored enamel and is gender-neutral — practical if you are gifting before birth or don't know the gender.

Is the set also suitable for a Catholic or Protestant baptism?
Yes. Saint Nicholas is venerated in all three denominations, and a cross is a cross. The craftsmanship is Orthodox-influenced — those who consciously seek that will find exactly that here; those who don't seek it will still receive a classic baptismal gift.

Does it come with a chain?
No. The set includes a spoon and pendant; parents choose the chain later to match the child's age.

Can the spoon be engraved?
Yes — technically, engraving is possible on this spoon, but it can only be ordered upon request. Both go together and are not a restriction of one by the other:

Technically: The back of the stem below the medallion is smooth and mirror-polished — a free surface specifically for this purpose. There is space for a short first name; if written compactly, the baptismal date can also fit below. Around 20 characters is a guideline, not a firm promise: The stem tapers downwards, so the writing style also plays a role.

Ordering process: In the shop, the engraving cannot be added directly to the cart. Please contact us briefly before ordering — we will agree on the text, writing style, and placement and confirm what will fit on this piece. This way, we don't promise anything that won't fit in the end.

The back of the medallion (where the raised blessing is), the back of the bowl (where the tendril border runs), and the cross pendant (2 cm large and worked on both sides) cannot be engraved.

How else can the set be personalized?
Through a SilberVerse card: a printed card with a verse or dedication, included with the gift. How this works is described under About SilberVerse. Card and engraving can be combined.

Is there a product video?
Yes, in the image gallery above. The set is rotated and shown up close — front with the icon, back with the blessing, engraving area, and tendril border, plus the cross pendant individually. Those who want to know how the piece feels in hand and how large it really is will see it more clearly there than in any still image.

Is silver safe for a baby?
925 Sterling silver has been common for cutlery for centuries and is nickel-free. Like any children's cutlery, the spoon should be used under supervision; the pendant is not suitable for infants due to its size.