The best chain for a pendant is one with smooth, even links that let the pendant slide freely and sit still: a cable, box, wheat, franco or rope chain. Choose its width by the pendant's size, under 2 mm for a small, light pendant, 2 to 4 mm for a mid-size one and 4 mm or more for a large one, and check that the clasp end passes through the pendant's bail. Every chain in our gold chains collection is listed with its width, clasp, lengths and weight, so the comparison below uses those figures rather than general advice.
Pendant Chains in Our Range, Measured
The table sets eleven of our chains side by side, from 1.4 mm to 4.50 mm wide. Every figure is read from each chain's own specification table: the width in millimetres, the clasp, the lengths the listing names and the approximate weight at 18 inches. The last column applies the width bands above.
| Chain | Width | Clasp | Lengths listed | Approx. weight at 18 in | Pendant it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round cable, 18K | 1.50 mm | Lobster | 16 and 18 in | 3.0 g (yellow) | Small, light |
| Box, 14K | 1.4 mm | Lobster | 16 to 24 in | 6.3 g | Small, light |
| Round wheat, 14K | 1.5 mm | Lobster | 16 to 30 in | 4.9 g | Small, light |
| Solid diamond-cut franco, 14K | 2.20 mm | Lobster with end caps | 18, 20 and 24 in | 10.5 g | Mid-size |
| Round cable, 14K | 2.40 mm | Lobster | 16, 18 and 20 in | 5.7 g | Mid-size |
| Solid Miami Cuban, 14K | 2.60 mm | Lobster with end caps | 18 to 24 in | 9.5 g | Mid-size |
| Solid diamond-cut rope, 14K white | 3.00 mm | Lobster with end caps | 18 to 30 in | 12.0 g | Mid-size |
| Solid Figaro, 14K | 3.00 mm | Lobster | 16 to 24 in | 6.6 g (yellow) | Mid-size |
| Diamond-cut franco, 14K | 3.20 mm | Lobster with end caps | 18, 20 and 24 in | 8.5 g | Mid-size |
| Solid Figaro, 14K | 4.50 mm | Lobster | 18 to 24 in | 13.6 g | Large |
| Faceted Cuban, 14K | 4.50 mm | Lobster | 18 in | 5.0 g | Large |
Two things stand out once the figures sit together. First, all eleven chains close with a lobster clasp, the spring-loaded hook that opens with one finger, so the clasp is never the reason to rule one out for a pendant; four of them finish the clasp with end caps. Second, width does not tell you how much gold is carrying the pendant. At 18 inches the solid diamond-cut franco is narrower than the 2.40 mm cable, yet it weighs 10.5 g against 5.7 g, close to twice the gold. The faceted Cuban is as wide as the 4.50 mm Figaro and weighs 5.0 g against 13.6 g. If you want a chain with presence for its width, read the weight beside the millimetres.
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Round Cable Link Chain in 18K Gold | 1.50mm
$854.00
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Which Chain Types Carry a Pendant Best
What chain do you put a pendant on?
Put a pendant on a chain with smooth, even links that it can slide along and that will not twist under its weight. A cable, box, wheat, franco or rope chain does this best, which is why they are the classic pendant chains. A Figaro or a Cuban chain can carry a pendant too, though a strong link pattern competes with a small pendant for attention, so it suits a bolder piece.
The fine end of the table is where most pendants start. The Round Cable Link Chain in 18K gold, 1.50 mm is the lightest chain in the table, about 3.0 g at 18 inches in yellow gold, and it comes in yellow or white gold at 16 and 18 inches. The Classic Box Chain in 14K yellow gold, 1.4 mm has square links joined edge to edge, so it reads as a neat, faintly geometric line, and it runs from 16 to 24 inches, 22 inches included. Of the fine chains in the table, the round wheat chain goes longest, to 30 inches.
What is the best chain to use with a gold pendant?
For a gold pendant, the best chain is solid gold of the same color, with links even enough for the pendant to slide and a width matched to its size. Our chains are solid 14K or 18K gold through every link, as our pendants are. A yellow gold pendant suits a yellow chain; a two-tone pendant can take either, since each picks up one of its two golds.
Matching the Chain Width to the Pendant
What width chain is best for a pendant?
Match the width to the pendant. A small, light pendant suits a fine chain under 2 mm, such as the 1.4 mm box or the 1.50 mm cable; a mid-size pendant suits an everyday chain of 2 to 4 mm, such as the 3.00 mm Figaro; a large pendant suits 4 mm or more. A chain much wider than the pendant calls for makes a small pendant look lost.
Our pendants sold without a chain show how these bands work in practice. Each listing gives the pendant's height, width and approximate weight, so you can place it against the table before you choose.
| Pendant, sold without a chain | Height | Width | Approx. weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slim tapered cross, 14K white | 1.38 in | 0.75 in | 1.1 g |
| Crucifix, 14K two-tone | 1.50 in | 0.75 in | 1.3 g |
| Polished beveled cross, 14K yellow | 36.60 mm | 19.10 mm | 1.8 g |
| Diamond-cut cross, 14K two-tone | 1.75 in | 1.12 in | 2.3 g |
The slim tapered cross, at 1.1 g, is small and light enough for a fine chain close to the collarbone. The Polished Beveled Cross Pendant in 14K yellow gold is large enough to read clearly on a medium chain, and the diamond-cut cross, at 1.75 inches tall, is a statement piece that suits a wider chain. All four are in our gold cross necklaces and pendants.
Clasp, Bail and Length
The bail is the loop at the top of a pendant that the chain runs through, and it decides which chains you can use at all. Before you buy, thread the clasp end of the chain through the bail, or compare the bail's opening with the clasp and its end caps where the chain has them. A chain that fits through the bail can be swapped later for a longer or wider one; a chain that does not fit cannot carry that pendant, whatever its width.
Length decides where the pendant falls. For her, a fine or everyday 14K gold chain at 16 to 18 inches sits at the base of the neck or on the collarbone and suits most necklines. Twenty and twenty-two inches drop the pendant a little lower, and 24 inches reaches toward mid-chest, which is the long line when a pendant is layered beneath a shorter chain. Our guide to chain lengths shows where each length sits.
Which chain suits a man's cross pendant?
For a man's cross, choose an everyday or wider chain at 20 to 24 inches, so the cross sits at the center of the chest. A rope or a curb chain gives a cross a bolder frame, while a slim cable lets the cross take the attention. By the width bands, the 3.00 mm rope suits a mid-size cross and the 4.50 mm solid Figaro a large one, such as our diamond-cut cross.
What Our Pendant Necklaces Hang On
We also read the chains on the pendant necklaces we sell already strung. Of the twelve pendant necklaces whose specification names the chain, seven hang on a cable chain and five on a link chain, and all twelve close with a lobster clasp. Ten are 18 inches long and two are 16 inches. That is the same answer the table gives: a fine, even chain at 16 to 18 inches is where most pendants are worn.
If you are matching a chain to a pendant you already own, the simplest route is to start from that shape. The 2.40 mm round cable is the everyday version of the fine cable most of our pendant necklaces wear, in 14K gold at 16, 18 and 20 inches. For a pendant that needs more presence, the 3.00 mm Solid Figaro Chain in 14K gold comes in yellow gold from 16 to 24 inches and in white gold from 18 to 24 inches. Our guide to the right chain for a pendant covers how the pendant section fits with type, width and length.
Choosing the Best Chain for Your Pendant
Start with the pendant: its size picks the width band, its bail decides which chains will thread through, and the neckline decides the length. Then read the weight. Two chains of the same width can carry very different amounts of gold, and our guide to hollow vs solid gold chains explains what the weight tells you. If a chain's length needs changing later, repairs and length adjustments on our chains are handled by our in-house Ontario workshop.
Choose the chain for your pendant from our gold chains collection, or start with the Round Cable Link Chain in 18K gold, 1.50 mm for a small pendant.
Warranty. Every DEEVE chain carries a lifetime manufacturer's warranty for the original purchaser, serviced in-house, with complimentary cleaning, inspection and prong tightening for the life of the piece and rhodium re-plating on white gold at no charge. Read the warranty.
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