Gold Necklaces

Gold necklaces that stay gold are the whole point of this collection. Every chain here is our 316L stainless steel under an 18k gold plate, which is a different thing from the gold-coloured brass that goes brown in a month. It's the same steel as our silver range with a heavier finish on top, so it stands up to daily wear, showers and sleep.

Two things worth knowing before you buy. Plating is a surface, so it eventually wears at the points that rub hardest, usually the clasp and the back of the neck, over years rather than weeks. If you want something you never think about, silver stainless is the harder-wearing choice. If you want gold, this is the honest version of it. And gold looks warmer against black than silver does, which is why a lot of people wear it as their only piece rather than layered.

Widths run from 2mm dainty cable up to 15mm Cuban, and there are chokers, necklaces and pendants in here, so check the type before you pick a size. Chokers are Small, Medium and Large by neck measurement with the 4 inch extender fitted. Necklaces are sold by length in centimetres, from 35cm to 90cm, so measure where you want it to sit. A few of the pendants can be engraved, which adds two to three working days.

What length do I need?

Gold necklaces are sold at 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 70, 80 and 90cm. 35 and 40cm sit at the throat like a choker. 45cm sits at the collarbone and is the length most people buy for a first chain. 50cm sits just below it and works for a pendant. 55 and 60cm sit on the chest and suit a broader frame or a longer pendant. 70cm and above hang low and are for layering under shorter chains. Add the optional 4 inch extender and any length covers itself plus 10cm.

Which width should I get?

2mm and 3mm are fine chains for pendants and layering; they show as a line of gold rather than a chain. 4mm to 6mm is the everyday width, visible on its own. 8mm and up is a chain worn for itself, and the 10mm Cuban and Byzantine are the heaviest we make in gold. If you are buying one gold chain, buy a 2mm or 3mm for a pendant or a 4mm to wear alone.

Will the gold wear off?

Not in normal wear. This is 18k gold plating over stainless steel, not over brass. Gold plated brass goes green and dull because the brass tarnishes under the plate and pushes through. Stainless steel does not tarnish, so the plate stays put. Keep perfume and hairspray off it and it will hold its colour for years. We cover these with a lifetime guarantee.

Will it turn my skin green?

No. The green mark from cheap gold jewellery is copper from a brass base reacting with sweat. There is no copper in 316L stainless steel.

Can I wear it in the shower?

Yes. The chain and the plating are water resistant. Rinse it if it gets sweaty and dry it with a cloth. Avoid leaving it in chlorinated water for long stretches, which dulls any plating over time.

Is it hypoallergenic?

316L stainless steel is hypoallergenic for most wearers, and the gold plate sits over it, so gold necklaces here suit people who react to plated brass or nickel-plated chains.

How do I layer gold chains?

Two or three chains at 5cm intervals: a 2mm cable at 40cm, a 3mm Figaro at 45cm, a pendant on a 4mm chain at 50cm. Keep them all gold. Mixing link types in the same colour reads as intentional; mixing silver and gold at the neck reads as an accident unless one tone clearly leads.