Neck chains come in a variety of sizes:
- 16" Choker length
- 17-18" at collarbone
- 20" A few inches below collarbone
- 22" At or above neckline
- 24" or longer extend below the neckline24-26" hangs at bust line
- 30” just below the bust line
- 36” hangs above the navel
Although it’s best to choose neck chains at least one or even two inches longer than the size of your neck, necklace extenders add versatility to neck chain designs and allow a more comfortable fit for shorter styles. In addition, your jeweler or goldsmith also can add or remove links to provide you with a custom fit for neck chains fashioned from precious metals.
While neck chains are advertised by length, the width or diameter of a neck chain is important to the strength of the chain.
Widths are usually displayed in millimeters (mm). Part of the versatility of neck chains is the ability to add pendants to them, creating new necklaces for your jewelry collection. The safe way to add a pendant to a neck chain is to weigh both the pendant and the neck chain. As a general rule, a chain under 22” long should be at least three times the weight of the pendant it will support and a longer chain should be four or more times the weight of the pendant.
Styles of neck chains come in a variety of lengths and widths:
Box: each link is wide, square, and interconnects with the next.
Byzantine: An intricate neck chain design where two pairs of oval-shaped
links are linked together and then parted by a third, larger,
thicker link attached to each pair.
Cable: The typical chain, composed of round same-size rings, each
linked to the next.
Curb: oval-shaped links twisted and often diamond-cut to lie flat.
Figaro: alternates rectangular and circular links, typically one
long rectangle followed by three smaller round links.
Foxtail: sleek and elegant, an intricately woven chain fashioned
with two rows of oval links facing each other at a 45-degree angle
and connected by a center row of flat rings set flush with each
other.
Herringbone: One of the most popular chain designs, the herringbone
is a series of short, flat, slanted, parallel links in two or more
rows, with the direction of the slant alternating row by row.
Mariner link: oval links with a bar dividing the middle of each
link. The figogucci is a variant of the mariner where links are
twisted and diamond-cut.
Omega: a flat chain made up of rectangular smooth rounded metal
plates side by side and crimped along the ends onto a strip of
metal mesh.
Rope: two thick strands woven together giving the appearance of
a spiral.
Serpentine: A series of small, flat, s-shaped links set closely
together and held in place by a twin set of links set below them.
Singapore: resembles a twisted herringbone wherein each link is
composed of a series of flat, diamond-cut, interwoven loops.
Snake: a series of round wavy metal rings joined side by side and
forming a smooth flexible tube.
Finally, satisfaction with the clasp on a neck chain is essential!
The clasp needs to be strong enough to support the weight of longer chains while shorter chains need a clasp that is easy to fasten, especially if you don’t have an extra pair of hands that can help! Fortunately, today neck chains are fashioned with a variety of clasps.
Barrel: A square wire fits into a barrel-shaped tube and locks
into place. Some barrel clasps have an additional figure-eight
safety clasp on the side. Some barrels screw together providing
an even safer neck chain closure.
Lobster claw: One of the most popular clasps today. The lobster
claw resembles its name. Although it hooks through a loop at the
other end of the chain, it’s rectangular and flat to give
you a better grip.
Spring ring: A round clasp that opens with a coil spring. On better
neck chains, the spring ring is generally heavier and more durable
than the round loops of old.