Best Chains for Pendants

What are the best chains for pendants? The below guide will go over the best gold necklace options to wear with men’s and women’s gold and sterling silver pendants.

Depending on the size of your pendant, you can always adjust the millimeter size of our below gold chain recommendations to fit the size and proportions of your pendant, but here are our strongest, most durable and best gold chains made for pendants.

Best Chains for Pendants

There are many styles of gold chains for pendants to choose from, but we have narrowed it down to the top 3 styles, based on durability, strength, style and price and also factored in what jewelry shoppers buy and use the most, based on our over two decades of jewelry experience selling gold necklaces for men and women.

These include classic necklace styles, such as gold box chains as well as timeless and traditional gold link chain necklaces like curb and figaros, rope chains, and alternatives like franco, cubans, cable and even wheat chains. Read on to learn the difference between each style and select the chain that is best for you.

3 Best Chains for Pendants

Gold Box Chains

The gold box chain is the most obvious of all choices and the best selling gold necklace for most pendants. This is where most people start.

The main advantage of the box chain is its simplicity in style. With a more basic style, it tends to blend into the background (which is often exactly what you want from a chain), thereby placing the focal point of your jewelry on your pendant rather than on the chain. This is the #1 reason most people prefer a box chain, due to its simple, subtle and classic design.

The box chain is made of square little boxes (hence, the name) that are linked to one another on all sides. The way the box links are attached allow for flexibility and movement when worn, allowing the chain to absorb applied pressure and the stress of real life, making the box chain a secure and durable gold chain that is suitable for most pendants.

Curb Link Chains

Aside from the simple box chain, gold curb chains are by far the most popular gold necklace for a reason. They are not only simple in design, much like the box chain, but are literally the strongest and most durable style of chain available in the jewelry market.

The curb chain is simply equally-sized round or roundish links often with beveled edges that are linked together, much like a chain linked fence. This creates a strong bond in the chain that makes it strong enough for pendants with a little more substance and weight. If you are looking for a gold chain that will endure and generally not break, then any style of link chain will work, but the curb link chain is the most popular and timeless design of all the link chains combined.

Variations of the curb chain include gold cuban chains, figaro chains and mariner chains. The beauty of link chains in general is that you can choose what millimeter width you like based on the size of the pendant and choose one that is suitable for the jewelry you are wearing, and much like the box chain, the simple design of the curb does not detract from the focal point of your jewelry pendant.

Rope Chains

Rope Chains are by far one of the best styles of chains you can purchase. They are just about as strong as a link chain and are yet another timeless, classic design that is unlikely to ever go out of style.

Rope chains can withstand the weight of most pendants, depending on the width or diameter of the rope necklace that you choose. The rope is named thus because of the rope-like design, as strands of gold are twisted and soldered together in the shape of a literal rope. This makes them one of the most durable and strongest chains available today. It is debatable whether the link chain or the rope chain is the stronger necklace; they are both very strong and able to withstand the weight of most chains, making them one of the best chains for pendants by far.

Rope chains come in several forms, most notable regular rope chains and diamond-cut rope chains. There are no diamonds used in the diamond-cutting process, but rather, a jeweler’s chisel cuts out small sections of the surface of the rope to create a little more sparkle than a regular rope chain. Most people tend to prefer the diamond-cut finish for just the right gold tone color and shine.

gold franco chains — 1.3mm 14K Gold Franco Chain Necklace

Alternative Chain Styles

Want something a little more unique than our pick of the top 3 best chains for pendants? If you are looking for an alternative design, the choices are endless, from gold wheat chains to the very strong, heavy-duty gold franco chains.

If you are wanting a link chain but with a little more design, consider gold figaro chains with the 3 + 1 pattern of links. There a variety of link alternatives, such as gold cable chains, mariner chains, rolo chains, etc. The possibilities are endless. For a non-link style, you may consider a gold wheat chain. Whichever chain you choose, aside from durability and strength, choose the style of chain that is best for your pendant and that suits your personal sense of style!