The Pentagram of Solomon, with a ruby: an old seal, set in stone
An infamous seal, and why it endures
Infamous is a good word for it, because the pentagram of Solomon is not a quiet, obscure symbol. It is one of the most recognised seals in the whole of Western magical tradition, appearing in grimoires, in stories, in folklore, and in the popular imagination, often in contexts that have little to do with its original use. That fame is both a help and a hindrance. It means the seal is instantly recognised. It also means it carries associations, some accurate, some fanciful, that a practitioner must sort through before wearing it.
At its heart, the pentagram of Solomon belongs to the Solomonic tradition: the lore of King Solomon as a magician-king, commanding spirits, building a temple, and sealing his work with signs of authority. In that tradition, a pentagram is not a decoration. It is a seal, a sign of authority and protection, used in workings where the practitioner stands in a position of command, and where boundaries matter. The five-pointed star, drawn in a single, unbroken line, has long been read as a figure of completeness, with each point in its place, and the whole held together by the line that draws it.
That reading, of completeness and of a boundary held, is why the pentagram has endured. A seal that only looked impressive would have faded. A seal that gives a practitioner a way to stand, to define a space, and to hold a working together, remains useful across centuries, even as fashions in magic change. The pentagram of Solomon endures because it does a job that practitioners still need: it marks a place, a person, and a working as set apart, and as held in order.
A seal, not a picture of a seal
As with the Goetic seals, the distinction between a seal and a picture of a seal matters here. A picture of a pentagram can be looked at, printed, or drawn on paper for a single working. A cast pentagram, in metal, with a stone set into it, is a different kind of object. It has weight, it can be held, it can be worn, and it remains after the working is over, as a tool for the next working. That durability is part of its point. A Solomonic seal is meant to be a lasting sign, not a disposable sketch.
Lost wax casting means the pentagram begins as a wax version, made by hand, and the metal is poured into the space the wax leaves behind. The result is a solid piece, with depth in its lines, rather than a thin stamped disc or a printed image. At one inch, that depth matters, because the pentagram's lines must remain clear and distinct, even at a compact size, and casting preserves that clarity in a way that flat methods do not.
Handmade casting also means slight variations, as with all the cast pieces in this shop. A hand-finished edge, a faint mark from finishing, is not a flaw. It is the sign that a person made this seal, by hand, for magical work. A pentagram that looks as though it came off a factory line would be a strange thing, given the tradition it comes from, in which seals were made by the magician, or by a craftsman working to the magician's direction, for a particular working. A handmade cast pentagram, with its small imperfections, is closer to that tradition than a perfect, anonymous reproduction.
Choosing the metal
Each gives the pentagram a different character, and the choice is worth making deliberately, rather than by default. Sterling silver is bright, clear, and durable for daily wear, because it is alloyed and therefore harder than fine silver. A silver pentagram will stand out, bright against dark clothing, and it will tarnish with time, as silver does, and respond well to gentle polishing. It suits a practitioner who wants the seal to be visible, and who is willing to care for silver regularly.
Copper is warm, soft, and responsive in the hand. A copper pentagram has a reddish glow that suits the Solomonic tradition's sense of a working seal, rather than a piece of jewellery. Copper darkens and develops a patina with wear, and some practitioners value that patina as a record of use, while others polish it away. Either approach is fine. Copper suits a seal that will be handled often, held during workings, and carried close.
Bronze is darker, heavier in appearance, and old-looking, in a way that fits a seal from an old tradition. A bronze pentagram does not shine like silver or glow like copper. It has a deep, earthy tone, and it ages with a patina that many practitioners find fitting for a tool meant to last. Bronze is strong, and at one inch it gives the pentagram a feeling of solidity beyond its size. If you want a seal that looks like an old tool, rather than a new ornament, bronze is often the metal that gives you that feeling.
They are practical notes about appearance, wear, and care, so that you can choose with your eyes open. If a metal calls to you for this seal, that personal pull is a valid reason, and it is often more reliable than a rule consulted without feeling.
The ruby, set into the seal
A stone gives the seal a centre, a point of focus within the star's pattern. When you look at the pentagram, the eye is drawn to the ruby, and that focus helps attention settle on the seal as a whole, rather than wandering across its lines. When you hold the seal, the stone gives the thumb a place to rest, a smooth, hard point that is different from the metal around it.
A ruby is also a durable stone, hard enough for daily wear, and that durability matters for a seal meant to be worn and handled. A soft stone, set into a working tool, would chip, scratch, and eventually be lost, and the seal would be diminished by that loss. A ruby, properly set, will withstand ordinary wear, and will keep its colour and brightness for many years. That longevity suits a seal from the Solomonic tradition, which is meant to be a lasting sign, not a temporary one.
What can be said, in general terms, is that red stones have long been associated, in many traditions, with vitality, courage, and a strong, clear presence, and that a red stone at the centre of a pentagram gives the seal a visual warmth and intensity that a plain metal disc does not have. Beyond that general observation, the ruby's role here is best understood simply: it is a genuine stone, set into a cast seal, giving the seal a centre, a focus, and a lasting beauty that plain metal alone does not offer.
Care for a set stone follows the same plain logic as care for the metal. Keep the piece away from harsh chemicals, and from knocks against harder objects that could loosen a setting. Check the setting occasionally, especially if the seal is worn daily, and have it checked by a jeweller if it ever feels loose. A stone that is looked after will stay in its setting for a lifetime. A stone that is knocked around without thought may not, and that is true of any set piece, magical or otherwise.
Working with a pentagram
A pentagram pendant can be worked with in the plain ways seals are worked with, adapted to its Solomonic character. You can hold it during a working, letting its weight and the ruby's smoothness keep your attention on the matter at hand. You can put it under a candle, or lay it on the altar as a centre for a working. You can put oil on it, anointing it as you would any working tool. You can carry it with you, in a pocket or pouch, when you want its presence close but not displayed. You can wear it as a pendant, as this piece is made to be worn. And you can show it, in workings where presenting the seal is part of the work, holding up a clear, cast pentagram with a ruby at its centre.
Reflection about being specific about what you want is useful here, as with any seal. A pentagram is a general seal of authority and boundary, in the Solomonic sense, and it can be used in many workings. That generality is a strength, but it can also become vagueness, if the practitioner does not know, in a given working, what boundary they are holding, or what authority they are standing in. Before a working with the pentagram, it is worth naming, quietly to yourself, what you are setting apart, what you are protecting, or what you are commanding, in that particular working. The seal will then have a job, rather than being a general symbol worn without a purpose.
Wearing the pentagram daily is a common choice, and at one inch it suits daily wear well. It is small enough to sit under a shirt, or to be worn openly, as you prefer, and light enough to forget until you reach for it. That daily presence is part of its traditional role: a seal worn by the practitioner, as a sign of their standing in their work, not only produced for formal workings. A pentagram worn daily becomes familiar, and familiarity makes it a reliable focus when a working is needed quickly, in an ordinary setting, without an altar to hand.
One inch, and why that size suits this seal
One inch is a good size for a pentagram with a set stone. It is large enough for the star's lines to be clear, and for the ruby to be visible as a centre, without being so large that the piece becomes cumbersome to wear. A larger pentagram, with a larger stone, would be an altar piece as much as a pendant, and it would draw attention in a way that a daily seal should not always do. A smaller pentagram would crowd the star's lines, and would leave little room for a stone of any presence. One inch sits between those extremes, and it is a size that has been used for seals and pendants for a long time, for good reason.
As a pendant, one inch sits comfortably on the chest, and it will work on a chain or cord that suits its weight, which will vary with the metal you choose. Silver, copper, and bronze differ in weight, and a chain that suits a bronze pentagram may be heavier than one that suits a silver one. That is a practical detail worth planning, because a seal that is comfortable to wear is a seal that will be worn, and a seal that pulls or catches will be left at home.
When the pentagram arrives, take time with it before putting it to formal work. Hold it, look at the star in good light, and notice the ruby at its centre. Decide where it will live when it is not worn, and how you will care for the metal you chose. A seal that has a home, and a regular moment of care, is a seal that will be found when it is needed, and that will last for the years of work it is meant to serve.
A seal for the long term
The pentagram of Solomon has lasted, as a symbol and as a tool, because it answers a lasting need: for a sign of order, boundary, and authority in magical work. A cast pentagram, in a metal of your choosing, with a genuine ruby set into it, gives that old seal a durable, wearable form, made by hand for the work it is meant to do. It is not a picture, and it is not a novelty. It is a tool, and like any tool, its value lies in how it is used, over time, with attention and clarity.
No seal guarantees a magical result, and this one does not promise one. What it offers is a solid, cast, one-inch pentagram, in sterling silver, copper, or bronze, with a genuine ruby set into it, made for wearing, carrying, and working with. That is a precise offer, and it is enough, without claiming more than a seal can honestly claim.
The product, at the end
Pentagram of Solomon, 1 inch with ruby
$270.00 CAD
Lost wax cast in sterling silver, copper, or bronze (your choice), 1 inch, with a genuine ruby set into it.
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