A Texas Medallion, Measured Out Loud

A round Texas medallion, 1.38 inches (3.5 cm) across, hangs from a braided leather cord measuring 41.7 inches (106 cm). Three finishes — silver-tone, gold-tone (listed as yellow), and red — take it from courthouse-classic to game-day loud.

Sizing the medallion

At 1.38 inches, the slide lands between a quarter and a silver dollar: big enough to read from across a room, small enough to stay jewelry rather than drift into belt-buckle territory. The braided cord measures about 0.16 inches (4 mm) thick, a middle gauge that drapes cleanly without feeling like rope. Among the finishes, silver-tone is the safe pick with pearl-snap shirts, gold-tone warms up browns and tans, and red exists for one reason: arriving loud when everyone else chose silver.

Specifications

How to wear it

This is a piece for Texas occasions: a hill-country wedding as a guest, a rodeo weekend, a football Saturday. Set the medallion just below an open collar on a pressed pearl-snap shirt, and use the 41.7 inches of cord to loosen it through a long evening without re-threading anything. The silver-tone version also files neatly among our silver-tone bolo ties if you are building a rotation, and our cord guide explains why a 4 mm leather braid hangs differently from a PU one.

What to know before you buy

The medallion is plated zinc alloy. Its color — silver-tone, gold-tone, or red — is a surface finish, and like any plating it can wear at the raised edges after years of contact. The cord is leather; expect it to soften and take a slight bend where the slide grips, which is normal break-in rather than a defect. No stone, no engraving. Buyers who want solid metal or hand-tooled Texas work should budget for a specialist shop — this is the everyday version.

Common questions on this medallion

Is the yellow version actual gold plating?

It is a gold-tone finish over zinc alloy. You get the color, not the precious metal — and the same holds for the silver-tone version.

Will the leather cord stretch over time?

Leather relaxes a little with wear, but at 41.7 inches you have slack to spare; re-seating the slide absorbs any change in a second.

Which finish works for a wedding?

Silver-tone, over a white or light shirt. Gold-tone splits the difference with cream and tan outfits. Red belongs in a stadium, not at a reception.