Jewellery chains, jewelry chains or body chains are metal chains [1] [2] that are used in jewellery to encircle parts of the body, [3] namely the neck, wrists and ankles, [4] and they also serve as points to hang decorative charms and pendants. [5] [6] [7]
Jewellery chains are typically made from precious metals, mainly gold and silver. Platinum, palladium and steel may also be used. [8] These metals are used because they are not very reactive, keep both their intricate shape and their strength, and require only minimal maintenance to keep their shine. [3] Small lever mechanisms called clasps serve as fastenings to enable the chain to be undone and redone. [9]
The earliest chain necklaces have been found in ancient Babylonia among jewellery dating back to 2500 BC. [10] The tomb of Queen Puabi, who was buried in 2600 BC, included several gold chains that she wore in different ways. [11] The old Greek, Roman and Egyptian civilisations followed later. [12] An intricate 4th or 5th century Romano British gold body chain with an amethyst and four garnets, made for a slight woman or a girl, was found in the Hoxne Hoard in Suffolk. [13] Around the Tudor period, heavy gold chains were both fashionable and statements of positions and power. [11]
There are a vast number of chain styles and techniques for making them. These are some of the more popular designs and their more common names. However, the names differ with countries depending on traditions.
| Chain | Image | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor (I) |  | or Cable chain, copies the style of the chain that holds large anchors on ships. One of the simplest and most universal chains. The links are oval, made from round wire. Several versions have one or two of their sides ground flat and polished, giving the chain more sparkle through these facets. (pictured) This is called "Diamond cutting" of the chain. Anchor chains with very long and open links are often called Paperclip chains. [14] [15] [16] |
| Anchor (II) |  | or Maritime, Marina or Stud link chain, this too copies the style of the chain that holds large anchors on ships but has an oval link with a dividing bar through the middle. The interlinking sections may be of a Curb or Trace style. There is also a version (pictured) of this style where only every other link is an anchor link. [16] [15] |
| Ball |  | or Bead chain, is formed of small balls of metal joined by small lengths of wire, not longer than each bead in between. Also has its own 'snap over the first link' fastening. Larger steel versions are more often used to hold ID cards than in jewellery, but finer ones may be found for the purpose. [17] [16] |
| Belcher |  | or Rolo, is similar to the Trace, but a Belcher chain link is wider than its thickness. Generally the links are rounded on the outside, but the shape of the link can vary. [16] [18] [14] |
| Box |  | This is similar to the Venetian chain, but the links are loser and rectangular, whereas the Venetian's are always square and tighter. [16] |
| Brick |  | or Serpentine chain, Cobra, Boston link, S-link, C-link or Flat link, is a semi-rigid chain, pressed so tightly that the links have almost fused into a solid band. [16] [14] |
| Byzantine |  | or Turkish, is an intricate design in which each link is connected to four other links, creating a woven appearance. [17] [16] |
| Curb |  | (cf. Curb chain), Cuban or Twisted is when the links interlock with each other when laid flat. Some more open-link curb chains can only be distinguished from a trace by this method, while the denser curb chain known as closed curb keep their appearance whichever way they hang. This style of chain has the greatest variety of widths available, from a few millimeters to over four centimeters. The links can be round, flattened or faceted in a large variety of ways. [19] [17] [20] [14] [15] |
| Fancy |  | A fancy chain can be anything; any form of fine metal that can be replicated and joined onto each other to make a chain. Many fancy chains are variations of the standard styles, for example a trace chain formed of heart-shaped links or a curb chain with every other link set with a gemstone. [14] |
| Figaro |  | Figaro is not really a style but a popular variation of the Curb chain. A number of standard links (usually three) precede an elongated link all the way through. This variation can be replicated by many of the styles mentioned. [17] |
| Foxtail |  | This chain gets its intricate V-shaped pattern from two rows of oval rings connected by flat rings in the middle. It can be shaped, twisted and hammered to become more square or rectangular. [21] [14] |
| Franco |  | The Franco chain with a square cut, has a V-shaped pattern on two sides, with the other two more resembling a Curb chain. It is more open than a Spiga or Foxtail, while resembling them at a distance. It's named after the Italian jeweler who desiged it. [15] [22] |
| Omega |  | or more correctly, Omega necklace is a pseudo-chain made by assembling metallic plates on a wire or woven mesh. The plates give the appearance of links in a chain. [23] |
| Prince Of Wales |  | This is a loose Rope chain. This chain consists of a twisting chain made of small circular links, where each single link has no less than four others joining into it. It resembles the Singapore, but is more loosely interlocked. [24] |
| Rolo |  | The links of a Rolo chain are usually identical and often round. It is the most basic form of a chain. The links joined in a simple alternating sequence. [17] [25] |
| Rope |  | Creates the effect of two twisting strands spiraled together, created by many small links which are not completely joined. One disadvantage of this otherwise strong chain is that, when one link does break, the rest of the chain might follow in succession. [16] |
| Saturn |  | also called Station or Bobble chain, is a chain with evenly spaced beads, discs or ovals upon the chain. [15] [14] |
| Scroll |  | also called Snail, S type, Meander or even Greek key chain since its design resembles old meander ornamentation. [14] [26] [27] |
| Singapore |  | This chain may also be called Twisted Curb, but the links are joined in such a way that, even when the chain is untwisted, there is always a natural curve to it. Usually this chain is sold very fine and has a liquid-like look to it. [16] |
| Snake |  | Snake chain is a very tight-linked chain that has a round or square cross-section and has links that create a slight zigzag look. [16] [14] |
| Spiga |  | or Wheat, is formed of very long, thin teardrop-shape links that all point in the same direction. The join of each link is like a tiny hinge, meaning this style is not as flexible or liquid-like as some others. It forms a 3D chain that feels almost square, and looks as though the wire has been plaited. [16] [14] |
| Trace |  | A slender simple style version of the Cable or Anchor chain with small, uniform circular or oval links. Trace chains are typically very delicate, especially in finer widths. [18] [15] |
| Venetian |  | Venetian chains are very similar to Box chain, but the links are always square, whereas the Box chains are loser and rectangular. [18] |
Jewellery consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a western perspective, the term is restricted to durable ornaments, excluding flowers for example. For many centuries metal such as gold often combined with gemstones, has been the normal material for jewellery, but other materials such as glass, shells and other plant materials may be used.
A pendant is a loose-hanging piece of jewellery, generally attached by a small loop to a necklace, which may be known as a "pendant necklace". A pendant earring is an earring with a piece hanging down. Its name stems from the Latin word pendere and Old French word pendr, both of which translate to "to hang down". In modern French, pendant is the gerund form of pendre and also means "during". The extent to which the design of a pendant can be incorporated into an overall necklace makes it not always accurate to treat them as separate items.
A necklace is an article of jewellery that is worn around the neck. Necklaces may have been one of the earliest types of adornment worn by humans. They often serve ceremonial, religious, magical, or funerary purposes and are also used as symbols of wealth and status, given that they are commonly made of precious metals and stones.
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Modern goldsmiths mainly specialize in jewelry-making but historically, they have also made silverware, platters, goblets, decorative and serviceable utensils, and ceremonial or religious items.
An omega chain or omega necklace is a pseudo-chain made by assembling metallic plates on a wire or woven mesh. The plates give the appearance of links in a chain. The embedded wire provides the strength, so the plates can be designed to please the eye.
Kuromido is an historically Japanese copper alloy, typically of 99% copper and 1% metallic arsenic, one of the class of irogane metals.
Jewellery as an art form originated as an expression of human culture. Body ornamentation, one purpose of jewellery, has been known since at least the Stone Age. The history of jewellery in Ukraine reflects the influence of many cultures and peoples who have occupied the territory in the past and present.
Albert Bensimon is an Egyptian-Australian businessman from Adelaide, South Australia. He is most well known as the owner of Shiels Jewellers. He frequently appeared in television advertisements and became famous for his catchphrase "No Hoo-Haa".
Architectonic jewellery is a subset of Constructivist studio jewellery that makes use of architectural forms and ideas in the much smaller-scale format of jewellery. Some of the defining elements of architectonic jewellery are linearity, inclusion of geometric elements, undisguised structural elements, and use of varying depth to convey a sense of design in three dimensions rather than only two. Certain architectonic pieces include moving parts, which enables "extending or reconfiguring" the pieces by the wearer. Architectonic jewellery often incorporates materials more typically used in engineering such as stainless steel and niobium, reinforcing the association with architecture.
Kandyan jewellery comes from the hill capital of Ceylon or Sri Lanka. The Kandyan Kingdom lasted till 1815 resulting in the original sets of jewellery and designs still being preserved and worn by Kandyan families today.
PC Jeweller Limited is a jeweller based in New Delhi, India. It started operations in April 2005 with one showroom at Karol Bagh Delhi and 80 showrooms in India. It is a first generation business promoted by two brothers- Padam Chand Gupta and Balram Garg. It presently has 80 stores in 66 cities across 17 States/UT.
Shiels Jewellers is an Australian jewellery retailer and was founded by Jack Shiels in Adelaide in 1945. Since then, Shiels has expanded to 40 stores across South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia, employing over 450 people. Shiels remains headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, and currently sells bridal and diamond jewellery in a variety of metals, leather items, gemstone jewellery and watches for women, men and children. Shiels Jewellers markets itself as the home of the 1 carat diamond.
Pandora A/S is a Danish jewelry manufacturer and retailer founded in 1982 by Per Enevoldsen. The company started as a family-run jewelry shop in Copenhagen.
Ambra Gambale is a South African and Italian artist and fine jewelry designer. Her Skullchemy range of memento mori artworks created from exotic animal skulls, metals & precious stones have been exhibited and sold in London, Notting Hill & Dover Street, Mayfair. Her fine jewellery range is handmade and centred on the use of gold, ebony and diamonds. Her collectors include Pulitzer Prize winner Lauren Beukes.
A rope chain is a metal chain necklace consisting of several small links which pattern the shape of a rope. The rope chain begins as a metal wire and is twisted into links.
Shaun Leane is a British jewellery designer best known for his sculptural pieces created for Alexander McQueen. His eponymous jewellery brand is a four-time winner of the UK Jewellery Designer of the Year award.
Yemenite silversmithing refers to the work of Jewish silversmiths from Yemen. They were highly acclaimed craftsmen who dominated craft production in precious metals in the southern Arabian peninsula from at least the 18th through the mid-20th century, a period and region during which Muslims did not engage in this work. These Yemenite silversmiths were noted for their skilled use of fine granulation and filigree, producing ornaments such as women's bracelets, necklaces, finials, as well as elaborate scabbard sheaths for men's daggers.
Scottish jewellery is jewellery created in Scotland or in a style associated with Scotland, which today often takes the form of the Celtic style. It is often characterised by being inspired by nature, Scandinavian mythology, and Celtic knot patterns. Jewellery has a history in Scotland dating back to at least the Iron Age.
In metalwork, reticulation refers to a decorative surface finishing technique involving the application of localised heat to the surface of a metal object. Reticulation is typically performed on alloys of silver and copper or of gold and copper.
Saara Elisabet Hopea-Untracht was a Finnish designer whose work included glassware and jewellery.
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