Necklace lengths: where each length sits, and what suits your neckline
My own Chain Guide carries a line that answers most of the questions I am asked about length, and almost nobody reads it: "Keep in mind that the chain lengths DO NOT include the pendant." The same page puts the average pendant at 0.75in to 2in. So a 16in chain with a 2in pendant on it finishes roughly where an empty 18in chain finishes. If you have ever ordered the length you always wear and found it sitting lower than you expected, that is why.
I have made jewellery by hand in London for 22 years, from a stall on Portobello Road to Liberty, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Harrods. It all still comes off the same bench, so I have measured a great many necks and heard what people say when a chain arrives and sits in the wrong place.
Where each length actually sits
On most adults, 16in sits at the base of the throat, near the collarbone. 18in sits just below it, which is why it is the length most pendants are photographed on. 20in sits on the chest. 22in sits lower again and reads as a long necklace rather than a pendant. 14in is a child length and sold as such here, which is how the children's jewellery is sized.
None of that is a rule, because a 16in chain on a wide neck sits where an 18in sits on a narrow neck, which is worth knowing before you buy for somebody else.
The neckline decides it, not the outfit
A crew neck or a high round neck takes the pendant and holds it flat against the fabric, where it disappears. Go short enough to sit above the neckline, or long enough to clear it at 20in or 22in. A V neck wants the pendant above the point of the V rather than inside it, so 16in or 18in depending on how deep the V is. An open shirt collar is the easiest of all: 16in sits inside the collar and frames it. A roll neck wants 20in or 22in worn over the knit, and a flat pendant reads better than a deep pendant on that much bulk.
The piece I point people at when they are not sure is the Belcher Chain, £45 in 0.925 sterling silver, 18kt gold plated sterling silver or 18kt rose gold plated sterling silver. 1 design, 5 lengths, 14in, 16in, 18in, 20in and 22in, and the same £45 whichever you choose. A belcher is a round link chain, strong for its weight and not prone to kinking, so it carries a pendant without fighting it. The rest of the chain necklaces are here.
An extender is the cheapest insurance there is
If you cannot ask, buy the piece that adjusts. The Engraved Balance Necklace is £65 in sterling silver for a single engraved disc, and it hangs on an 18in chain with a 3.5in extender, so 1 necklace covers 18in through to 21.5in. The same piece runs to £760 in solid 14kt gold with 3 discs.
Choosing a length should not cost you extra either. The Tennis Chain Necklace is £140 in sterling silver, gold vermeil or rose gold vermeil, and it is £140 at 14in, 16in and 18in. A chain set with stones along its whole length is among the few necklaces that works high on the throat, because there is no pendant to land in the wrong place. For something with real weight, the Gemstone Sun Necklace is £275 in sterling silver and £350 in gold vermeil, hand set in the London workshop.
The chain in the drawer is usually a length problem
Most of the necklaces people tell me they never wear are not ugly. They are 2in too short, or the clasp has gone, or the chain broke years ago and went into a box. All 3 are small jobs at the bench. A chain can be shortened or lengthened, and a new clasp is 1 of the small changes my Second Life service covers. Broken chains are remade by hand in the London studio. Send me a photograph and I will tell you what it could become, and what it would cost. The estimate is free and there is no obligation.
For a remade piece to be ready for Christmas, send me your photos by Sunday 1 November. Remodelling has the earliest cut off of anything I make, because the design is worked out with you before any work starts. If a piece is sterling stamped 925 or hallmarked gold and you would rather it went back into the workshop, recycling it earns you a £20 voucher.
What I notice is that length is the thing people apologise for getting wrong, and the thing nobody ever explained to them. Nobody mentions that the number on the label is the chain and not the drop. Once you know where your own lengths sit, you stop buying necklaces you do not wear.
So measure the necklace you reach for most and write the number down. That is the length to buy next time. The second life is the real one.
Every length in every metal sits in the chain necklaces, the Chain Guide explains how to settle on a length with a tape measure, and Second Life is where a chain you already own gets changed rather than replaced. Anna Lou x
Questions I am asked
How do I measure a necklace length at home?
Run a tape measure round the neck and let it fall where you want the chain to sit, then read off that number. Add the drop of the pendant you intend to hang on it, because the chain length never includes the pendant. The Chain Guide walks through it, and it carries the bracelet lengths as well.
What necklace length suits a V neck?
Something that sits above the point of the V rather than inside it, which on most V necks means 16in or 18in. A deep V can take 18in with a short pendant. The Belcher Chain at £45 comes in both lengths at the same price, so it is a cheap way to find out which of the 2 you prefer.
Can a necklace I already own be made shorter or longer?
Usually, yes. Shortening a chain is straightforward, lengthening it needs matching links, and a worn clasp is replaced rather than repaired. A new clasp is 1 of the small changes Second Life covers, and a broken chain is remade by hand. Send a photograph for a free estimate, and photos for Christmas need to reach me by Sunday 1 November.