Gold chains have been an actual decoration since the days of ancient civilizations. Then they were made exclusively by hand, and each master had his own individual and unique style. Manufacturing was a long and painstaking task, so only we althy people from the upper classes could afford such jewelry. Nowadays, gold chains have long ceased to be something exclusive and unattainable, and it is possible to see such jewelry even on a child, especially since such products are often created not by the hands of master jewelers, but by machines.
Gold chains come in a wide variety of weaves and can serve as an independent decoration, as well as the basis for wearing pendants, pectoral crosses and all kinds of pendants. There are often male and female varieties of chains in the variety of chain weaves, but there are also many chains that are suitable for both sexes.
Gold chain technology
Modern production of jewelry chains is not always associated with manual labor. chainsare made by several basic methods:
- hand knit;
- machine knitting;
- stamping;
- casting.
Machine-woven chains are produced on specialized equipment that allows you to create decorations of minimal weight, with links 0.2 mm thick, and sometimes less.
At the same time, many popular weaves are not machine-made, and they are still, as in ancient times, made entirely by hand. The production of a hand-knitted chain is quite hard work, because first the metal must be melted, then the wire of the required thickness must be pulled out of it, and only after that proceed directly to the creation of jewelry. The minimum weight of a chain woven by hand is 5-6 grams, and this affects the cost of the product, however, the strength of such a chain is much higher than that of its machine counterpart.
Stamped chains are assembled by masters from ready-made links - stamps created by a special machine. Often such links are not even soldered, but only threaded into each other, which affects the strength and durability of the finished product. Such chains are usually the most affordable, but can be twisted and frayed, rendering the product unusable.
Cast chains are produced by casting special links in molds. As a rule, such chains are distinguished by a large weight, but at the same time, high reliability. After casting, each link is processed manually by the master. Then they are assembled into a finished product. The most popular injection chains without a doubt can be called productsjewelry houses Baraka and Cartier.
Solid and hollow chains
All chains, regardless of the type of weaving, can be either solid or hollow. The main difference between them is the weight of the finished product.
A hollow chain, even with external volume and massiveness, can have a minimum weight, but at the same time be strong enough. For the manufacture of this type of chain, a base metal core is placed inside a flat blank, after which the blank is bent into a circle and the seam is closed. After removing the core, a hollow wire is obtained. From it, they create the future chain. Such chains have a significant drawback: in the event of a link failure, it is impossible to repair it in most cases, so such chains require careful wear.
Solid chains always weigh more than hollow products. Even if they visually seem thinner, and this fact affects the cost, however, it is quite difficult to damage such a chain, moreover, even if the chain breaks, the master will be able to quickly restore it by replacing one or more links.
Varieties of weaving gold chains
Modern jewelry production has more than 150 varieties of weaving jewelry chains, but they are all made on the basis of three basic weaving techniques:
- Bismarck;
- anchor;
- armored.
Photos of weaving chains are presented in the article. Chains of the same type can be found under different names. Anchor weaving chains are created by analogy withweaving a chain for a ship's anchor. This weaving is simple and uncomplicated, but variations on the theme of the anchor chain help to make it more interesting and unusual.
In the traditional version, the links of the anchor chain consist of one row of rings, but it is possible to make a chain of two or even three rings in each link. The classic anchor chain is assembled from oval links, but it can also be made from perfectly round rings, resulting in a Rollo chain. The popularity of this type of weaving was brought by the Chopard jewelry house, and a chain assembled from rings is often called the name of this brand.
Garibaldi weaving, named after the heroic spouses of the Italian liberation movement, also belongs to the varieties of anchor chains. The chain of this type consists of round rings, like weaving "Rollo". However, it differs from him in their duality.
A lot of different decorative variations were created on the basis of the curb type of weaving. The essence of such weaving chains of gold is to fasten flat links together in a single plane. This technology of manual knitting of chains is the most durable, and the links combined into a chain resemble chain mail, so you can often find the second name of such chains - chain mail.
Depending on the number of rings attached to each other, curb weaving chains can be double, triple, and so on. If the armored chain is assembled from diamond-shaped links, it is called "Rhombus", which can also be double andtriple.
The most elegant and sophisticated curb-weaving chain is "Nonna", whose name comes from the reduction of the Italian expression "grandmother's weaving" (maglia della nonna). These chains glisten in the light thanks to the diamond cut on both sides of the links and are very strong, despite the external fragility.
Popular among armored chains is the “Figaro” weaving, named after the comedy hero with a changeable character, because in this chain long and short links alternate in a certain order in a different sequence (1 to 1, 1 to 2, 1 to 3, 1 to 4). The popularity of such chains was brought by the Cartier jewelry house, and the Figaro chain is often called the name of this brand.
The names of some weaves come from the shape of the links used. For example, in the Love chain, the rings look like hearts. The chains of weaving "Snail" or "Paperclip" are assembled from spiral links, and chains with sections resembling a flower are called "Rose".
In the assortment of chains, weaving "Snake" occupies a special place, which means a snake in translation. It is a smooth cord with tightly spaced links resembling the scales of a snake. Such weaving is often chosen not only for chains, but also for bracelets, the most popular of which is the Pandora bracelet.
Bismarck chain weaving, named after the chancellor of the German Empire Otto von Bismarck, is often found on sale under the names Kaiser, Cardinal and others. Unusual typeknitting in most cases is done by hand and is one of the most difficult, since the links of the ringlet in such a chain have different directions. Variations of Bismarck weave can be double, triple and even quadruple, and the weave itself is incredibly strong and reliable. One of the varieties of Bismarck chains is the Python chain - thick and voluminous.
Separately, one can also single out chains of fancy weaving, it is simply impossible to describe all varieties of which, since they can differ not only in the type of weaving, but also in the combination of metal of different shades, the inclusion of decorative elements, stones. Such chains are rarely used for wearing pendants and often resemble beads or necklaces, being self-sufficient jewelry.
Weaving women's chains
The choice of a chain for a woman according to the type of weaving does not always make sense, since it largely depends on the taste of the girl. At the same time, based on the popularity among the fairer sex of certain types of chains, we can say that weaving such as "Nonna", "Love", "Rose" are truly feminine.
However, girls often opt for more concise weaving of chains, ideally combined with any pendants, one of which is an anchor, especially in the performance of "Rollo". Among chains with "Bismarck" weaving, which is considered masculine, the "Moscow Bismarck" option is more suitable for girls.
Good for sophisticatedWomen's necks also look like a variety of spiral and twisted jewelry, for example, the weaving chain "Rope", "Brook", "Spikelet".
Men's chains
Strong men deserve decent chains, usually classic shapes and the highest strength. There are not so many primordially male weaves.
Carapace chains in most of their variations belong to the category of jewelry for men, as they are the most durable and practical, especially when doubled. In the same category is the Figaro chain.
Bismarck chains are also popular among the stronger sex and look the most advantageous on men.
The incredibly dense and thick Venetian weave chain belongs to the category of men's chains, as it has a fairly large weight and volume, it can look rough on a girl.
Many variants of chains for men also exist among injection chains - "Barack", "Cartier", "Coffee Bean".
How to choose the right chain length?
Selection of the chain is carried out not only on the basis of its weight and type of weaving, but also on the length. The assortment in jewelry stores is represented by models of 40-70 cm, depending on the zone in which the product will be worn.
With a length of 40 cm, the chain will be located at the very neck of an adult. A half-meter chain will reach the upper part of the neckline, a chain of 60 cm will fall to its middle, and 70 cm and longer will reach the lower neckline and fall to the hollow between the breasts.
Worth it tootake into account that the average parameters of the length of the chains are assumed, and in many respects the correct choice will depend on the dimensions of the person who is going to wear it. As a general rule, large men may need a chain around 70 cm long, and at this length it will lie around the neck.
Elongated chains with small pendants are at the peak of popularity among girls. They add sexuality and mystery to them, going down to the chest. Often the store assortment does not cover the needs of the client in choosing the length of chains and it makes sense to order such items from a jeweler.
In order not to make a mistake with the choice of the length of the chain, you should definitely try it on or at least measure it with a thread, placing it on the neck like a chain and measuring the resulting length.
Locks for precious metal chains
In choosing a chain, in addition to the type of weaving and length, no less importance is given to the lock installed on it.
The most common types of chain locks are carabiner and spring lock. Both of these fasteners are quite reliable, but in the end, the type of lock and its size are selected by the master based on the type of weaving and the final weight of the product. One of the significant advantages of such locks is the ability to thread any pendants and pendants through the end.
Checking the lock on the chain, you should pay attention to its quality and ease of opening and closing, as it depends on whether you can put on and take off the chain yourself, as well as safetychains in the process of being worn.
One can single out a special chain lock - schnapper, which is also often used on bracelets and even on watches. Such locks are often installed on thick and massive men's chains to ensure a secure fixation that a carbine cannot handle.
Combining chains with other jewelry
Quite often both women and men wear the chain without removing it, especially in combination with a pectoral cross. That is why the chain is not considered to be an ornament, and in vain, because it requires special rules for combining with other jewelry.
If you plan to wear a cross or a pendant on the chain, they should be combined not only in the color of the metal, but also in size, as well as in weight (to be half the weight of the chain). Small pendants will not pass through massive chains and are lost against their background, while large pendants on thin chains can lead to breaking the latter. Separately, it is worth checking that the chain lock passes through the ear of the pendant/pendant.
Often wearing chains is combined with bracelets, and ideally, the weaving of both jewelry should match, however, a combination of such products is allowed only in terms of the thickness and color of the metal. Color matching applies to all jewelry, including earrings and rings.
Secrets for caring for gold chains at home
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever in our world, including jewelry that can be scratched, soiled by external influences, and fasteners, locks and frames weaken. It is the chains that are most susceptible to wear, as they are often not worn.taking off. It will take a little effort to extend their service life.
Plaque and dirt on the chain are very common and over time cause the decoration to lose its former brilliance and aesthetic properties. Cleaning, which can be done manually or mechanically, will help to cope with such a problem.
For manual cleaning, the chain does not have to be carried to the master, knowing certain nuances, you can do the process yourself. For cleaning, the chain is placed in a warm soapy solution, which must be prepared from a dishwashing detergent that dissolves grease deposits. For some time, the jewelry is left to soak in such a solution, after which it is carefully rubbed with fingers and washed with running water. It is better to dry the product with paper towels or a microfiber cloth, after which you can lightly polish it with suede or velvet.
To avoid the appearance of streaks on the chain, polishing is done with progressive, not circular motions. It is possible to purchase special jewelry cosmetics, which are often offered at jewelry sales points. Such tools will allow you to achieve professional results at home.
If you don't have the time and desire to clean your jewelry yourself, you can take it to a jeweler. In the workshop, jewelry is cleaned using special devices - ultrasonic baths, steam cleaners, ionizers. If there are multiple scratches on the chain, the master will also be able to professionally polish and give the jewelry its original look.
Gold chains are the mostuniversal and sought-after jewelry, and their range allows you to choose a product for every taste and we alth. With proper care and handling, the chain will last for many years and can even be inherited by future generations.
