The pendant is, hand-sanded and hand painted by me. It is stained on the back side with a dark walnut stain and varnished with a water-based wood varnish. The necklace is on a 18 inch silver-finished brass chain with 1 inch extender.An alternative to silver, finished brass cable chain has the look of precious metal without the cost. Each chain comes complete with lobster claw clasp.While this material is not expected to tarnish, I would not recommend bathing, or exposing it to water. It is recommended that it is polish with a soft cloth after use to remove any lotions, oils, or perfumes.