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Necklaces are one of the accessories that most people (specially ladies) like; From small chains for small pendants to stronger ones for heavier pendants. In order to buy a simple necklace, both the beauty and the weight of the necklace matter, however we should also keep in mind that the necklace chain is also of great importance. In this article, we plan to discuss different types of necklace chain and introduce the most popular types of chains.
Different Types of Necklace Chain
When it comes to necklace chains, people usually have the picture of simple necklace chains in mind which are seen more often compared to other types. Yet each of the necklace types that you notice at a jewelry store window, is beautiful and knowing its name may help you at your next purchase. What follows is an introduction on different types of necklace chain.
Guarse or Ball chains
These chains are made by putting small balls together by very small connectors that make the final product more flexible. The diameter of these spherical balls is something between 2 to 6 millimeters. Although this necklace chain looks good, and looks even more attractive with the creativities used in its production, it is considered a weak type of necklace chain because it can break very easily and it will be very hard to repair it. As a result, this type of necklace is not appropriate for long-term use.
Cable Chains
One of the different types of necklace, are cable necklaces, that look exactly like a chain, and each part is in the shape of an oval or a rectangle. Such a delicate chain will have the necessary strength only if each of the small parts are welded separately, yet it doesn’t usually happen in case of inexpensive chains. The main advantage of such a chain is that it is easy to repair and the broken pieces of the chain can be removed from the chain without damaging the rest of the chain. These chains look simple and beautiful, yet we suggest that you use them with pendants.
Don’t miss the chance of reading our article titled as a Guide for the Mother’s Day Gift.
Rolo Chains
These chains are very similar to cable chains, and the only difference is that each piece of the chain passes through another piece. These beautiful necklaces can be used with different types of pendants and even if one of the pieces breaks down, it can be repaired easily.
Curb Chains
One of the other types of necklace chain that is very popular are the curb chains and is similar to the previously mentioned types to some extent. This type of necklace chain is made of oval or rectangular links that are entangled in a way which gives a flat look to the chain. This type of necklace chain is usually used without a pendant, yet it is strong enough to bear the weight of a pendant. These durable chains are durable enough that can be used over years and can be repaired easily even if they are broken. Curb chains are appropriate choices for men and can be used with large pendants as well.
Figaro Chain
These chains are among the classic types of chains that look similar to cable chains. These chains include links, the first one of which is in the shape of a horizontal oval which is followed with some round links.
These chains make for a different appearance which look more attractive even without a pendant. The only point that may make you thoughtful upon making a purchase is about repairing these chains, that is harder than cable necklace chains. In other words if one of the links breaks, it will be hard to replace it with a similar one.
Byzantine or Byzantium Necklace Chain
These necklace chains are among the most attractive and popular types that are made as a result of joining bended links as if they are woven together. Among the different types of necklace chain, such an attractive appearance can only be found in Byzantine or Byzantium necklace chains where each ring passes through four other rings. However, the most important weak point to be associated with this type of chain is the difficult repair of the chain.
Box Necklace Chain
A type of necklace chain that owes most of its reputation to its strength is the box necklace chain. The connected pieces of this necklace are not in circle or oval shape, and they rather look like cubes or boxes as a result of which they are usually stronger than other types.
One of the other points of strength in this chain is getting repaired without causing even the least damage to the rest of the chain. The chain’s beauty will be doubled next to a beautiful pendant. Thus if you are looking for a strong chain, the box chain can be a good and durable choice.
Mariner Necklace Chain
The chain looks like a group of hooks, and has rings in the middle of each of which there is a vertical line. These chains look really unique for both men and women. The chain is wide enough and can be easily repaired if necessary. Mariner chain is a good choice for everyday use and can be used either with or without a pendant.
Rope Necklace Chain
As the names of these chains are quite saying, they are made of binding some threads together and even the delicate types are still strong and resistant. The chain is strong enough to be used for years. Repairing these chains is usually hard, but the chain are strong enough not to get damaged easily.
Snake Necklace Chain
Despite the thin and delicate structure of this chain, it is strong enough to be used with large pendants. With regard to the fact that these chains have high quality, they rarely need to be repaired; however, the task of repairing them is a really hard one.
Besides the necklace type, its length matters too. As a result, we suggest you don’t miss our article on «Why does the Necklace Length Matter?»
Which One of the These Necklace Chains Is the Best?
Choosing the best chain depends on how you are going to use the chain. If you plan to choose the chain without a pendant, chains such as the cable, rope or Byzantine are great choices. But if you plan to buy a chain that will exhibit the beauty of your pendant the best way, we suggest you buy a simple chain.
Another point to keep in mind is about the pendant that you will wear together with the chain. If you plan to wear a heavy pendant, you will need to use a strong chain with enough strength to bear the weight of the pendant. In an overall look, it is wise to be careful about the chain strength. Regardless of whether you are going to wear the chain with a pendant or not, the material and thickness of the pendant matters.
platinum
When choosing a chain, keep these points in mind. For pieces of jewelry with gem stones such as brilliant-cut diamond or birthstones, platinum chains are much better. These chains are strong enough and in comparison with other metals, they are more expensive as well.
Gold
Gold is the most popular precious metal and with regard to the variety in its colors, it can easily match different tastes. The point that we shouldn’t forget in buying different necklace chains is the possibility of allergic metals’ inclusion in the gold alloy. With regard to the fact that the chain is in direct contact with a wide area of the skin, the alloy which has been used for making the chain matters.
It should be taken into account that using 24K gold which is completely pure is not suitable for making gold chains and it may get damaged easily. This is while only 75% of 18K gold is composed of gold which makes it a better choice for making chains. In other words, lower Karats of gold are usually more durable than others. Regardless of the chain type, it is very important to choose the chains that can bear the weight of pendants and don’t break easily.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed different types of necklace chain and mentioned the upsides and downsides of each. From more than 10 types of chains which were introduced in this article, some were so attractive that could be used even without a pendant, while others look nice only next to a pendant. The points to be emphasized in all cases is the chain strength, thickness and structure. After introducing different types of necklace chains, to buy gold pendants, we suggest you visit EG pendants and necklaces.
