Best Chains For Pendants

Tired of your chains breaking under the weight of your pendants? There are do’s and don'ts for pairing chains with pendants that you need to know. In this guide, we go over the best chains for pendants

Size Of The Bail

The first thing you should do to determine the best chain necklace for your pendant is the size of the bail. The bail is the loop that allows the pendant to attach to the chain or necklace. Sizes of bail can vary, with thicker bails suiting heavier pendants and thinner bails suiting smaller pendants. This is because thicker bails will be able to hold the weight of a heavier pendant on a chain better than a thinner bail which is commonly used for lighter pendants. Furthermore, you’ll want to check the size of the loop itself and whether or not the chain can fit through it. We recommend checking the size of your pendant bail loop before purchasing a chain to go with it. 

Weight of the Pendant

The second thing you should consider when determining the best type of chain for a pendant is the weight of the pendant itself. In general, a heavy-weight pendant should be put on a thicker and longer chain. This is because the weight of a heavier pendant will need a thicker chain width to support its weight and prevent snapping the chain. In addition, a long thick chain will be able to withstand the weight of the pendant without causing too much tension on the chain around your neck, reducing the risk of the links breaking. 

A light pendant will be better on a thinner and shorter chain. There is no need for a super thick chain on a light pendant as the pendant will not weigh the chain down too much. As well you don't want to distract everyone from the pendant design with a super thick chain. 

Chain Length

A third consideration when choosing chains for pendants is the chain length. In general, you’ll want to scale up your chain length with the weight of the pendant. A longer chain has more links and will be able to withstand the tension and weight a heavy pendant puts on the chain, meaning it will be harder to break. 

Whilst the opposite is true for a shorter chain, a heavier pendant will weigh the chain down and cause unnecessary tension and weight on the chain links, increasing the possibility of it snapping.

If you have a heavy pendant a longer chain that is 22+ inches and above works great, especially on chunkier pendants. If your pendant is lighter and smaller in size, a chain length between 20-22 inches is perfect. 

For more information about the best length of chain to choose from check out our blog post on choosing the perfect chain length.

Chain Colour

The last consideration for choosing chains for pendants is the colour of the chains and pendants.  Most of the time you will want to match the colour of the chain with the pendant. If you want a more affordable option for a full gold look, try pairing a gold-plated chain with a solid gold pendant.

There’s also a trend where people mix and match silver and gold chains and pendants. At the end of the day, it’s up to personal preference. 

The Best Chains For Pendants

The best chains for pendants are ones with a simple link structure and ones that come in thicker variations. These chains include Cuban, Figaro, Rope, Wheat, Cable and Box Chains. All of these chains are strong and sturdy enough to hold the weight of a pendant, and you can get them in thicker variations to hold a heavier pendant. 

Cable and Figaro chains are great for smaller intricate pendants, as these chains tend to be thinner in width. Whilst Cuban Rope, Wheat and Box chains are ideal for super heavy pendants due to their strong and simple link structures. 

Chains you want to avoid for Pendants

You’ll want to avoid any chain with a super intricate and easy-to-tangle link structure as the pendant can get trapped or tangled within one of the links, causing the whole chain to break. These types of chains include the Herringbone and Snake chains variations. These chains are a great stand-alone piece, however, they tend to be too flat to hold a pendant. The flatness of these chains will also disrupt the natural movement of the pendant when wearing it, and it’s hard to find a bail that can accommodate the flatness of the chain. The herringbone and snake chains also have a very delicate chain structure, so heavier pendants will weigh it down and cause it to snap with the smallest pressure. 

If you are still not sure of the type of chain you should get for pendants have a look at our blog post that goes through the different chain necklaces"

Need more information about pendants? Have a look at our blog post about everything you need to know about pendants.

At Sky Austria we also have the best pendants to buy, including completely original designs such as Anubis, Icarus, Katana and more!