Eight of the Most Popular Gold Chain Styles
Thinking about adding a gold chain to your jewelry collection? Good choice. The gold chain is arguably one of the most fundamental pieces in a man’s jewelry lineup, standing as a steadfast symbol of style, wealth and—who are we kidding?—swag. Layered, tucked in, or fitted with a pendant, gold chains do it all. But when you start shopping for them, you’ll quickly notice that there’s a slew of options on the market, with variation in size, shape, and length. If you aren’t sure which chain style is best for you, consider a few of our most popular options:
- The Cuban Link Chain – The Cuban link chain, also known as the Miami Cuban link chain, is a cable chain featuring oval-shaped links that create a rope-like pattern. As you might have guessed, these chains come from the edgy street fashions of Miami, which evolved from the hip-hop style of the 70s. This chain style had a massive resurgence a few years back, and it’s still super-hot.
- The Rope Chain – Are you familiar with the dookie chains that rose to fame in the 1980s thanks to hip-hop trailblazers like Slick Rick and Rakim? These chunky rope chains set us up for our modern-day obsession with the rope chain, even though we’ve significantly dialed things back with regard to this trend. Rope chains can be slim or chunky like the old-school ones, but they all feature a twisted rope look featuring oval-shaped links.
- The Franco Chain – The tightly linked pattern of the Franco chain makes it great for anyone looking to showcase some solid white or yellow gold. Our gold Franco chains are made with V-shaped links, which give them an even thicker look that’s perfect for big-time ballers. Despite their super tight design, the Franco is another great gold chain option for those wearers who want to add a pendant to bring it up a few notches.
- The Figaro Chain – This always-popular chain features a pattern of a few circular links and then one elongated or oval-shaped link. The unique strength of this design plus the larger oval link makes it perfect for rocking with a statement pendant, but it’s also common to see people wearing the Figaro on its own. Figaro chains may also be referred to as three-one links because they often have three circular links and then a single elongated link.
- The Curb Chain – Curb link chains are variations on the Cuban link chain but, rather than featuring oval links, they tend to feature square or beveled links that add some extra dimension and sparkle. This effect creates a flat surface area, which makes the curb chain particularly ideal for adorning with stones. If you’re looking for a gold and diamond chain, definitely consider this style.
- The Dog Tag Chain – The dog tag chain is definitely a bit simpler when you compare it with the flashy chain styles above, but it’s nonetheless super popular. This type of chain features evenly spaced spherical links, available in varying diameters. This allows wearers to hang their dog tags in the space between each link anywhere along the chain.
- The Herringbone Chain – Creating a solid, liquid-like look, the herringbone chain is ideal for anyone who wants that iced-out style á la King Tut. It features a series of flat, V-shaped links that create a tight herringbone pattern. This flat surface can be engraved or enhanced with stones, but the herringbone chain can totally stand on its own if you prefer.
- The Mariner Chain – This endlessly popular chain option features oval links that are broken up by a central bar, creating a unique design that looks like the heavy-duty chains used by mariners to anchor their vessels. It comes in solid and diamond-studded styles, all of which are perfect for showcasing your favorite pendants or for rocking by themselves.
Customizing Your Gold Chain
All gold chains available at Frost NYC can be customized to some degree so you get a look that’s completely you. Tailor your chains to your own personal style with various lengths and widths or top them off with sweet pendant pieces that add to your swag factor. No matter which style you choose, you can be sure it’ll turn heads and catch eyes.