The gold chain is a universal decoration that will suit a man, woman and even a child. Jewelry stores have a large selection of products, so it’s difficult to dwell on one thing. To facilitate the selection, you need to evaluate the decoration according to several criteria.
Criterias of choice
Before you go to the jewelry store for the chain, you should determine the important points of choice:
- Gender and age of a person. Jewelry accessories for women or men differ in weaving, as well as in appearance in general. Separately stand out jewelry for young girls, characterized by a beautiful, original performance. For older people, it’s better to buy more conservative, strict models.
- Wearing option. If the accessory is the main one, you need to choose more massive chains with the original weaving. If a cross or a pendant is included with the chain, the chain itself should not stand out or distract attention from the main attribute. If you choose a gold chain on your arm or leg, you need to buy a thin chain with a beautiful weave that will not look like shackles on the leg or arm, but will emphasize the beauty of the ankle or wrist.
Types of models
The whole variety of jewelry accessories is divided into several types:
- Men's
- Women's
- refined;
- decorative;
- short
- elongated;
- wide;
- narrow
- with suspension;
- single.
Since the gold chain consists of links, the main division criteria are the weaving method, the width of the links, and also the length of the accessory. The minimum length of jewelry is calculated based on the size of the neck circumference. For women - 40 cm, for men - 50. The accessory will look good with any dress or shirt, both with an everyday toilet and with festive clothes.
Metal samples
An important selection criterion is a test of gold on a chain. It determines the percentage of pure metal in the jewelry. The appearance and strength of the golden thing depends on the sample. On each product of this precious metal you can see a sample. Jewelers use gold 375, 550, 585, 750, 900, 926 and 958 in their work. Most of all men and women buy gold chains around the neck of 585 samples.
The 585th test is an alloy of metals, where gold is 59%. Such a metal is reliable, solid, does not fade over time, is easily amenable to forging, processing, grinding. The color is bright yellow. Gold chains around the neck - both male and female - are the most popular gift as a decoration for every day.
375 sample - an alloy of metals, where gold is 38%. The color scheme includes colors from pale yellow to red. Over time, the product from it fades due to the appearance of iron sulfide on it.
500 samples - an alloy of metals, where gold is 50.0%. The remaining 50% is distributed between silver and copper. The color is pale yellow. The product dims quickly.
750 sample - an alloy of metals, where gold is 75.4%. The composition includes silver, copper, platinum, nickel, as well as palladium. The color scheme includes colors from yellow to bright green. The metal is very hard, easy to process. Products do not fade.
Gold of higher samples is very soft, easily deformed, poorly keeps its shape. Color unsaturated. The price is several times higher than in previous cases. It is rarely used in the manufacture of products.
Classic weaving methods
Gold accessories are made either on special machines or manually. The most common are several names of weaving gold chains:
- "Shell". The most durable. Links are cast in the form of twisted elongated ovals. The surface of the chains is flat, so you can create simple or original patterns on it. A flat surface is also a disadvantage of weaving, as scratches quickly appear on it.
- "Anchor". The links of the decoration are made in the form of ovals, fastened together by the type of a ship chain. The weave is very durable, equally suitable for men and women. The quality of jewelry can be seen by how the edges are cut.
- Bismarck The most popular weaving. This kind of decoration is universal. Due to the strength of the links, even thin products and jewelry with a small weight will be strong and durable. When carefully worn, an accessory of fifteen grams can last a lifetime.
- "Python", "Cardinal." Very similar in appearance. Their fragility is due to the fact that when forming the links a thin wire is used. Such jewelry looks elegant, original. If you buy a gift for a man, you should choose a decoration with springs at the points of linking, which will make it more durable.
Creative weaving techniques
More interesting options for weaving gold chains for women and men include: “Nonna”, Love, “Singapore”, “Rhombo”, “Rose”.
- "Nonna." It differs in the arrangement of small links inside large in one plane. This bond looks elegant and has high strength. Externally, the product is a bit like shell armor.
- Love The links are made in the shape of hearts. It looks very original, romantic. The mount is less durable than the previous version.
- "Singapore". Jewelry is made of links located nearby and twisted in a spiral. The connection is very strong. When moving, the links shimmer, creating a stylish effect. On such accessories crosses or various pendants look good.
- Rhombo A kind of anchoring. It differs in that the links are made in the form of rhombuses. The strength of such a piece of jewelry is average.
- "Rose flower". Differs in high skill of execution. It consists of twisted spirals. It is carried out exclusively by hand. Since a lot of metal is spent on the manufacture of the product, jewelry is very expensive.
For women
All women are different. Thin jewelry accessories are suitable for some, massive ones for some. Therefore, the classification of choice is conditional. If a woman will wear a chain around her neck, then you can choose a thin gold chain or a more eye-catching model. For chains around the neck, a product with weaving "Nonna", "Bismarck", "Python", etc., is ideal. Such models are reliable and will not tear at the first contact. In addition, with the help of such weaving, beautiful golden chains with pendants or unique accessories on hand are obtained. The products are voluminous, but at the same time they look elegant. More subtle options emphasize femininity, and more massive ones - solidity.
For men
Most men wear chains without complementary accessories. Exceptions are gold chains with a cross. At the same time, men prefer rather big crosses. Therefore, when choosing a male gold chain on the neck, you need to pay attention to its strength.
For men, chains with armored or anchor performance, as well as Rhombo and Bismarck, are perfect. For larger people, products with Bismarck weaving are optimal, weighing from one hundred to one hundred and fifty grams and more than 50 cm long. If a man leads an active lifestyle, it is best to pay attention to hand-knitted jewelry. They are considered the strongest gold chains.
For children
Choosing jewelry for children and adolescents must be light and strong. The child does not need a heavy chain, moreover, with weak links.
Among the models for children, the following are most popular:
- "Harness."
- "Venetian weaving."
- "Spikelet".
Such models are very beautiful and incredibly durable. The basis of their weaving is the constant crossing of the links and the weaving of one into the other. Products are multilayer, but light.
Simple Types of Clasps
The choice of fastener plays a huge role in choosing a chain. Even with the strongest weaving, the product can easily be lost with a poor-quality fastener. In addition, the lock should be in harmony with the product itself. There are several popular types of chain clasps.
- Carbine. The design of this lock is simple, so it can be easily fastened without any help. To do this, pick up the lever with your fingernail and hold. If it breaks, it is not difficult to fix it. Such a lock can be in the form of a drop or a rectangle, depending on the design of the decoration itself. If you choose a thin chain, such a clasp will look very rough on it.
- Eight. The lock is made of eight-curved wire. A lock ring is attached to one end, and an ornament to the other. This mount is used for jewelry and cheap gilded items. The clasp is simple but unreliable. To repair such locks the masters practically do not undertake. If the wire was not made tight enough, the product can simply slip out of the mount.
- Screw lock. It is used to fix necklaces. Fastening occurs by screwing the lock parts one into another. Such fasteners are short-lived due to thin and weak threads.
Sophisticated Clasp Types
- Spring clasp. The option is suitable for thin products. The lock feature is a small spring, which is the main one in the fastening mechanism. If one of its parts breaks down, the mechanism will have to be replaced completely. It is difficult to fasten such a lock on your own. In addition, the spring wears out quickly and imperceptibly. Therefore, an ornament with such a fastener is easy to lose.
- The box is the most reliable lock. It is used when connecting parts of heavy and expensive jewelry accessories. A box is fixed at one end of the product, and a hook is inserted at the other. The reliability of the lock lies in fixing the hook in the box using internal notches. Due to the heavy lock, the weight of the product will also increase, but it is not guaranteed to be lost.
- Chain lock. A simplified version of the box for thin chains. Instead of a box in it, a tube with the same internal notches.
There are other types of fasteners, but they are not used for chains.
Special cleaning methods for gold jewelry
Speaking of gold chains, one cannot fail to talk about how to clean them. The most common:
- Cleaning by the master. The easiest way is to take the product to a jewelry workshop, where a specialist will clean the gold using special tools or tools. This will save time and effort.
- Paste for cleaning jewelry. Sold in all jewelry or specialty stores. These include: Aladdin cleaning wipes, GOI paste and Thurman special formulations.
Home cleaning jewelry
- Cleaning with pharmacy solution. It can be done independently. To do this, mix a tablespoon of powder (dishwashing liquid), a teaspoon of ammonia and a glass of boiling water. Jewelry should be put in a solution for two hours, then rinse with water and wipe with a soft cloth.
- Soda solution. To clean a large number of products at the same time, a soda solution with powder is suitable. To do this, take an enameled pan, put a soft napkin on the bottom, put the jewelry on it and pour on top of the solution, consisting of two tablespoons of powder, a tablespoon of baking soda and water (so that the jewelry is completely in the water). Water must be put on the stove and boiled for half an hour. When the solution cools down, remove the jewelry, rinse, wipe with a soft cloth.
- Lipstick. Oddly enough, lipstick can also clean dirt on jewelry due to its titanium dioxide content. It is necessary to take the product and apply a lipstick tone to the place of contamination. Then wipe off the layer with a soft cloth. If contamination remains, repeat the procedure.
- Sugar syrup. For cooking, take three to four teaspoons of granulated sugar and a glass of water (warm). Mix the ingredients thoroughly and put in gold jewelry overnight. In the morning, rinse and wipe with a soft cloth.
Jewelry purchased taking into account the age, lifestyle and preferences of the wearer will delight the owner and will last a long time, whether it is a gold chain on his arm or neck. And proper cleaning will allow the jewelry to always look like new.