Fancy Chain Link Bracelets

Fancy link bracelets are our name for the chains that don't have a name, cut for the wrist. Knot links, coffee beans, chainmail, Byzantine, the constructions you don't find on a high street counter because they're slow to make and nobody else bothers. This collection runs from a 2mm strand to an 18mm piece of steel that's closer to a cuff than a bracelet.

All of it is 316L stainless steel, silver or 18k gold plated, so it doesn't tarnish, doesn't fade, and survives wrists, which take more knocks than necks. Bracelets are sold by length in centimetres, in 2cm steps, and if you choose the 4cm extender we fit it before it ships. Measure your wrist snug, just below the bone, and add a centimetre or two depending on how loose you like it.

If you've never bought a fancy link, our Byzantine is the one to start with: it's heavy for its width, it rolls rather than kinks, and it looks like it cost three times what it did. If you already own one, the chainmail is the one nobody else at the table will have. We've got most of these as necklaces and chokers too, in the same widths.

Which fancy link should I get?

On a wrist the link is seen side-on and in motion, so pick for how it moves. Star and heart links are light and flick as you move; they suit a fine stack. Cross links sit flatter and read gothic. Byzantine and Lumachina are woven and dense and hang still; they are the ones to wear alone. Satellite chain is a thread with beads on it and sits between two other bracelets. Oval, hex, forge and knot links are open frames that catch light through the middle. The spiked chainmail is the loudest thing here. For one that goes with everything, 10mm Byzantine in silver.

What size do I need?

Measure your wrist just below the bone, snug, and add 1.5cm. Sizes are 16, 18, 20 and 22cm. Shaped links sit wider on the wrist than their millimetre width suggests, because the shape adds height, so if you are at the top of a size, take the next one up. The optional 4cm extender covers the gap if you are unsure.

Which width should I get?

Take the width on the product page as the widest point of the link. 8mm shows the shape and weighs little. 10mm is where most of this page sits and is the width to buy if you are unsure. 12mm is chunky and a wrist piece on its own. The 2mm to 6mm satellite chains and fine heart links are the stacking ones.

Will it tarnish or turn my wrist green?

No. A shaped link has more surface and more edges than a plain one, which is where plating wears first; there is no plating on the silver pieces and the gold is plated over steel, not brass. Nothing oxidises and nothing marks the skin.

Can I wear it in the shower?

Yes, every one of them. Shower and swim in it. The Byzantine and Lumachina weaves hold salt, so give those a rinse in fresh water after the sea.

Is it hypoallergenic?

For most wearers, yes. The inside of the wrist is where cheap bracelets leave a rash, and the 316L we cut from is the same grade used for implants.

How do I stack a fancy link?

One fancy link, one plain chain, one charm or initial bracelet, all in one metal. Put the fancy link nearest the hand so it shows past a sleeve. Two fancy links together compete; keep it to one.

Silver or gold?

Shaped links show more of their surface than a plain chain, and gold shows on every face of it, so a gold star link or heart link bracelet reads richer than the same link in silver. Silver reads sharper and more gothic. Same steel underneath; choose by what you wear on your hands.