Chains of precious metals are perhaps the most popular jewelry among both men and women. The most valuable are gold chains of various colors - red, yellow, white. White gold chains are most in demand on the jewelry market today, since they do not look defiant and go well with other accessories and jewelry, including all kinds of pendants and cross-stitches.
Chain Making Methods
Without exception, all jewelry chains, including chains of gold, are made by craftsmen using several basic technologies:
- machine knitting;
- hand weaving;
- stamping;
- casting.
Machine knitting chains are the most affordable at the cost, since manual labor is minimally used in their manufacture, and the weight of such chains is significantly lower than that of hand-made products.
Manual manufacturing of chains is the most expensive, but with its help the most interesting and beautiful weaves are realized. The weight of the finished chains is much higher than that of machine-made chains, at the same time, their strength and quality are higher.
Stamped chains made of white gold can be very diverse, as they are assembled from different shapes of finished links obtained on special equipment. Externally stamped chains look heavy, but in reality they are light, and their links are easy to damage or deform.
Cast chains are a separate category of chains, links for assembly of which are cast in special forms. Such chains have impressive weight and a very original design.
There are also hollow chains, popularly called blown chains, since there are voids inside volumetric links. Manufacturing technology allows you to create such chains are quite voluminous with minimal real weight, allowing you to provide affordable jewelry. However, if a link in such a chain is damaged, it will be very difficult to repair it.
Quite often, after assembly, the chains are subjected to additional processing to give the jewelry an additional charm. One of the methods of such processing is diamond cutting. The technology consists in applying diamond faces to the chain links by chamfering them. The more such faces there are, the stronger the chain will shine and play in the sun.
Also, after assembly, the chains are often knocked together on special presses, which makes it possible to obtain a completely new type of traditional weaving chain, to strengthen its density and rigidity.
White gold chains are additionally coated with a special compound - rhodium. This treatment allows you to achieve maximum gloss and noble whiteness of the precious metal without a yellowish tint.
The main types of weaving
Despite the huge assortment of varied chains of white gold in jewelry stores, there are only three main types of weaving.
The most common is anchor weaving, which got its name by analogy with the chain of the sea anchor. White gold chains of anchor weaving are found quite often, both in the traditional version with oval links, and in the round, which is called "roll". Anchor chains are popular in world-famous jewelry houses such as Shopard and Van Cliff.
Carapace weaving allows you to create flat chains of white gold, which, depending on the design, are popular among both men and women. Such weaving allows you to create dense chains similar to chain mail. Varieties of chains of armored weaving are "rhombus", "nonna", "figaro".
Bismarck is the most popular weave, especially among men. The weave got its name from the name of the invincible German chancellor. Among jewelers, the chain is also known as the Kaiser and Cardinal. Weaving "Bismarck" is one of the most complex, and is made exclusively by hand.
Separate fantasy chains that are difficult to attribute to any type of weaving. Such chains, as a rule, are independent jewelry and often resemble necklaces. They are rarely made exclusively of white gold, more often they combine precious metals of several colors.
In jewelry boutiques, one can often find cast chains made of gold, such as “coffee bean” or “barrack”.
Women's chains in white gold
Chains for women differ from men's in tenderness, lightness and grace. Among the young beauties, weaving of “lavas,” whose links resemble hearts, is popular. Also popular among girls are chains such as "nonna", "python", "Singaporean".
Some types of weaving are suitable for representatives of both sexes, depending on the thickness and weight of the jewelry, the shape of the links. At the same time, diamond faces are more characteristic for women's chains, and blackening and knitting - for men's.
The division of chains into female and male is very arbitrary, and more depends on personal taste and style. Sometimes quite coarse and thick male chains on the thin necks of tender girls look perfect.
Men's chains in white gold
As a rule, representatives of the stronger sex choose massive bulk weaving chains for themselves. This can be a variety of variations of the shell chains and the Bismarck. No less popular among men is the weaving “figaro”, the popularity of which was brought by the Cartier jewelry house. Such men's chains in white gold look elegant and noble, adding charm and sophistication to its owner.
Also male weaving can be called "Byzantine", consisting of many rings with a multidirectional arrangement.
What jewelry can be combined
It is quite easy to combine white gold chains with other jewelry. On such a chain, pendants made of exclusively white metal and a combination of gold in various colors will look great. Especially good are women's white gold chains combined with diamond pendants. By the way, diamonds are mainly set in a frame made of white precious material, so this chain will look great in combination with studs and a ring inlaid with the most expensive gem.
An additional charm to a chain of white gold will give a bracelet to it in a set of similar material. Ideally, if it will be the same kind of weaving, but with the thickness of the decoration you can play.
How to choose a chain
The choice of the chain is a responsible matter, because jewelry is purchased for more than one year and costs a lot of money. The value in this case is not only weaving, but also the length of the product, as well as the parameters of the buyer’s figure. The chain should not only decorate, but also emphasize the dignity of its owner or owner. If you plan to wear a pendant on a chain, then the owners of a wide neck should choose a large pendant, place it on a thin, but long enough chain to visually stretch the image. On full ladies, a combination of several chains of different dyns located in several rows also looks great.
Girls with thin swan necks can afford short chains under the neck, similar to men's. This option is optimal for active and young women. Short chains are suitable for outfits of all styles. For evening dresses with a deep neckline, however, such jewelry will not work, for wearing with evening dresses it is better to opt for elongated chains. Before buying, it is important to measure the chain and carefully examine in the reflection of the mirror how it looks at you.
What determines the cost
The price of a white gold chain is influenced by many factors, the main of which are:
- decoration sample;
- manufacturing technology;
- weight;
- complexity of weaving;
- length of the product.
Chain quality is of utmost importance. On the decoration must be a sample of the state sample. In Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union, official samples of white gold are 585 and 750. In Europe, the same samples are labeled as 14K and 18K. In many countries, the manufacture of gold jewelry is not regulated by the state, and craftsmen independently establish a test on products that often do not correspond to reality.
A chain of white gold with too low a price should certainly arouse suspicion. In a limited budget, you can pay attention to hollow chains, however, you should wear such jewelry with extreme care so as not to damage the links.
White Gold Chain Care
In the process of constant wear, the chain can quickly lose its original appearance and luster. In wicker chains, both sebum and the remains of cosmetics accumulate quickly.
White gold chains require special care due to the surface rhodium coating, which can be removed by any mechanical friction.
An excellent option would be to clean the chain from a master jeweler, since he, in addition to direct cleaning, will be able to additionally polish the product and, if necessary, re-apply rhodium. Jewelers clean using ultrasound and hot steam, so the mechanical effect on the jewelry is minimal.
White gold chains are incredibly beautiful and elegant jewelry, which can be picked up for every taste and budget, and combined with a large number of jewelry.