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The wearing of chain necklaces goes back thousands of years to when cavemen were believed to string mollusks together and hang them round their necks. Chains were also made from many other materials too, such as bones, teeth and claws. Chains made from gold were frequently worn in Ancient Roman times, but the wearing of them was restricted to women. Today, however, gold chains can be worn by anyone, of any gender or age, and there is something available to suit every occasion. A good quality gold chain can stay looking as good in years to come as it did the day you bought it.
Most gold chains are made from 14k gold, as it is malleable enough to work with, but strong enough to keep its shape. Gold chains come in white, yellow and rose gold, or even a mixture of all three – adding other metal alloys, such as silver, palladium, rhodium and copper, will produce the white or rose coloring. Some chains at the cheaper end of the market are only gold plated. Plating may make the chain look good in the beginning, but, as you continue to wear it, the plating will start to wear off and the chain will begin to tarnish.
There are a number of gold chain designs available, along with a selection of sizes to choose from. The type and size of chain required depends very much on the person who is going to wear it and the occasion it is going to be worn. For women, eighteen-inch chains are generally the perfect size, unless the wearer prefers to wear a longer chain. For men, a chain that measures around twenty to twenty-four inches should be about right. The list of gold chain designs is endless, but here is a list of some of the more common ones:
Rope chain: This chain is designed like a rope. It can be worn on its own or with a pendant.
Box chain: This chain has small box-shaped links and is often worn with a pendant.
Fox chain: This chain is made up of two gold strands, which are bound together to produce a braided effect.
Herringbone: This chain lies flat against the neckline and is often worn without a pendant.
Rolo chain: This chain consists of broad, circular links.
Curb chain: This chain consists of circular, flattened links. It is often used in Hip Hop jewelry and men’s jewelry.
Bar and bead: This chain consists of a mixture of bar-shaped links and gold bead links.
The beauty of gold chains is that you can buy anything from fine and dainty, to heavy duty - with or without a pendant. You can obviously select the color of gold you prefer too that matches up with your favorite outfit, earrings, bracelets, rings and perhaps a watch. You may prefer to have one chain to match all your outfits or a selection to match up with different ones. Chains for men tend to be much larger and heavier than chains for women, and chains for children are obviously a lot smaller and lighter.
Gold chains make perfect gifts for any occasion, such as Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, etc. They can make a great fashion statement too and help you to express your individuality. Most women would probably admit, that no outfit is complete without one!