How to choose the perfect chain

The chain is one of the most important pieces in your jewellery box. It can completely transform the look and feel of a pendant depending on the length and thickness of the chain. One chain most definitely won't do. A selection of lengths and thicknesses of chains are needed so that we have the freedom to interchange depending on the style of the pendant or neckline of the outfit we are wearing. 

But, how do we choose what chain to go for? Here’s a few hints and tips to help you choose that perfect chain.

The main rule we follow is a simple one, a small and light pendant will need a thin chain while a big and chunky pendant will need a thick chain. We want the eye to be drawn to the pendant so therefore having a small pendant with a heavy chain just won’t work. You also don’t want a big heavy pendant on a thin chain as sooner or later the chain will just give way to the weight and break.

The design of chain we go for is a personal choice, sometimes it’s the design of the pendant that influences the chain choice but there are certain chains that may not work for everybody.

The Belcher chain and the Curb chain are the most traditional links and have been popular for years. These links tend to be sturdy and tight linked. Fine and medium links are available in both to match small or larger pendants. If you really aren’t sure what to go with we would generally advise to go with either of these.

The snake chain is a beautiful link. A very tight-linked chain this chain can transform a pendant giving it an elegant, fluid and lustrous feel. Although a beautiful chain, we advise that this chain should not be worn to bed or when exercising as when put under pressure this chain can kink. Some people never take their jewellery off, if you are one of those people then stay away from the snake chain. That being said, most definitely don’t be put off by this point, it is truly a gorgeous chain, it is our best selling chain and a favourite by a lot of our customers.

Fine, medium and heavy links are available to match small, medium or large pendants.

Other chains available are:

The figaro chain: the prettiest and most feminine of our chains, this chain is perfect for small and lightweight pendants. We also think this chain is perfect for little girls.

The box chain: formed of small flattened square links which fit together tightly to create a lightweight but strong square profile chain. The box chain creates a smooth, reflective finish that is a favourite for both classic and contemporary jewellery designs.

Now you’ve chosen what design of chain you are going for, the next step is choosing the length you’d like. It isn’t easy knowing what length you might need and when buying as a gift it can become even harder, always take into account the size of the person you are buying for, if the person is larger than yourself, then you know that they will need a longer length than the one you would need. If buying for yourself, take into account what outfit you might want to wear the necklace with. Here are some pointers:

14": The shortest of our chain lengths, this length is perfect when buying a pendant for a child or as a choker on an adult. Be aware that this length may be too short for some adults.

16": The shortest in standard length chains this length is perfect for small and petite ladies.

18": Known as the "safe length" this length will fit most adult women but can be too short for ladies of a bigger build.

20" and 22": The perfect length for ladies of a bigger build or for when we want a pendant to hang a little lower.

24" and 30": Perfect for when we want a pendant to hang low, usually layered with other necklaces.

If your buying a chain for a man you will need a longer length, we recommend:

Small men - 18"

Average size men - 20"- 24"

We hope these pointers will help with future chain choosing but always remember, jewellery like fashion is personal, the main thing is for you to be happy and comfortable in what you are wearing and don’t worry about what other people may think. Always be you, happy and unique :)