![Shakudo Pendant, c. Late-1800s. Shakudo Pendant, c. Late-1800s.](https://www.langantiques.com/university/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/shakudo-pendant-1_1_90-1-6362-q88jyxg9pf7llkmaz78ukalgcqjs0xvc73w1sl4l1k.jpg)
Shakudo is a Japanese alloy used in sheet metal inlay or wire inlay. The technique involves inlaying gold, silver, and copper into a darkened copper base. Usually, shakudo is composed of 75% copper and 4-25% gold and 5-20% antimony. In contemporary jewelry, it can be found in Mokume Gane (from the Japanese for “wood grain” Mokume-Gane is a mixed-metal laminate showing distinctive layered patterns).