Among all the types of chain necklace, there are some that we will prefer more than others. Depending on our style, we may choose chains for delicate pendants, heavy ones or even chains to wear on their own.
Different types of chains in jewellery
Take a loook at the most common types of chains in the market and discover the one that is mostly suitable for you.
ÍNDICE:
1. Metals for jewellery chains1. Metals for jewellery chains
In jewellery, chains are used for aesthetic purposes encircling parts of the body such as neck, wrists and ankles. We can hang amulets and decorative pendants on them; they are meant to be worn daily. Depending on the thickness, they can be stronger or weaker and we should be careful with jerks. The main materials that are used to manufacture chains are:
- Gold: the most popular metal for chains. It is found with different purity such as 9k, 14 or 18k, being the 18k the most used in Spain. It can also be found in different colours like yellow, pink or white.
- Silver: the most affordable metal. Be careful because if it is not worn, silver jewels can darken, although they can be cleaned and restored.
- Platinum: a more expensive option with a higher melting point and being less maleable than gold, but more durable and strong. It usually looks like white gold.
- Titanium: a durable, light metal and very cheap. It has a dark gray colour and does not need any care.
2. Ball chain
The ball chain is one of the most popular chains, but it is probably the weakest one, too. It is made of balls that are linked with bars in between. This type of chain is more rigid than other classic types, so that it can be laborious to repair when it breaks. Steel is the material that is mostly used for ball chains as it is one of the cheapest materials. In this way, it is not typically worn alone but it also cannot handle heavy pendants. You can see this type of chains in cheap necklaces and dog tags.
3. Cable chain
A cable chain is the type of chain most people have on their mind when thinking of a jewellery chain. They are made of oval, round or trombon links with one join in each side, therefore they are strong enought to last long and can be worn on a daily and are easy to style. You can even repair them on your own if broken by removing the broken link and reattaching the rest of pieces again.
4. Curb chain
Very similar to cable chains, a curb chain is made of round links that are designed to stay flat even when interlocked. Depending on their thickness, they are more used in one way or another. Larger curb chains and widely used by men in street style and hip hop, meanwhile the ones that are smaller and thinner are more feminine, delicate, but sturdy enough to pair well with pendants. Classic, strong, long lasting and easily repaired, it makes it a good chain type option.
5. Figaro chain
This type of necklace is similar to the previous one, with the difference that the figaro chain alternates link shapes. Usually, it is two or three small round links followed by a linear oval one. Larger ones suit more for wearing alone and more masculine style, whilst the ones that are more thin work more with a pendant. In short, a figaro chain is a strong style of chain with a unique look, but if it breaks it will be easy to repair by removing the broken links.
6. Belcher chain
Within the cable chains, we can find a popular variation called rolo chain or Belcher chain. Its name comes from Jem Belcher, who was a boxing champion of all England from 1800 to 1805. The Belcher chains are made of simple and elegant round links that are interlocked. The circles are all the same size and generally rounded on the outside and flat on the inside. This is another jewellery chain that you can wear on a daily basis and is easy to repair.
7. Marine chain
Also called Gucci, banana or SV, the marine chain has a particular design that differenciates from other chains: the ovals of each link are divided by a bar right in the center, by that giving a sensation of having more links. Despite of the numerous names given to this chain type, it is inspired by the anchor chains on ships, which makes it a perfect choice for the nautical lovers. Mainly characterized by being robust and strong, the marine chain was heavily popularized by the Italian brand Gucci, being the reason of having its name, too.
8. Snake chain
Classic, elegant, fluid and smooth, this type of chain reminds the snakeskin and the movements of this reptile. Due to the tiny rings that are attached with no spaces in between, the design conceals a semi-rigid and solid-looking chain with no visible links. Also called Brazilian chain, the best part of it is that they have no space for tangling so that you can easily keep it in your jeweler between other gems and chains. However, the snake type chain is not as durable as other chains and has to be repaired professionally.
9. Box chain
Box type necklace, book chain or Venetian chain: they suit perfectly for him or her. Known for being one of the most stable, strongest and sturdiest types of chains, the design is based in box-like pieces that are interconnected. These boxes give more stability to the chain rather than a rounded version. On top of that, if a link is broken it can be easily removed without affecting the rest of the necklace and you can wear them as a sole necklace or with pendants.
10. Rope chain
Its name comes from its twisted links similar to a rope. This twist in the metal gives the chain a light and shiny appearance that no other chain has. You can wear it on its own but also with pendants because even if the chain is thin, it is one of the sturdiest ones. Being a durable chain makes it the perfect choice for the day-to-day wear but if it breaks, it should be repaired by a jeweler as it would be different to do by oneself.
Which jewellery chain suits you the most? In LAVANI, the collection L’Essentiel gives youa great variety of types of chains.