What kind of silver chain do I need to put charms on?
December 25, 2022 5:23 PM   Subscribe

I want to attach charms I have via jump rings to a silver chain that I don't have. I want to buy a silver chain around 18" long with a clasp, but I don't know what shape and size the loops on the chain should be.

I'm looking at silver chains on etsy. Many seem to be "paper clip" style and I know I don't want that. Also the loops seems to be measured in mm, which I don't really understand. Let's say I want the chain links to be round or a little oval, and I want them to be thick enough to be seen clearly around my neck, but narrow enough for the jump rings to go around.

The many many chains I'm seeing are either "paper clip" or thick in some other way or so thin you couldn't fit a jump ring in the loops. Any suggestions about what to look for? Maybe something like this, but necklace length? I can't define the size so I can't search for it.
posted by DMelanogaster to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (9 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
This Maybe?
posted by Oyéah at 6:11 PM on December 25, 2022


It sounds like you want a cable chain -- as for the size of the loops, it depends on how big the charms are. The mm measurement you are thinking of is probably width and height of the loops which is exactly what it sounds like. For round loops the width and height will be the same. How thick it is will be determined by the wire gauge.

If you are looking on Etsy I would suggest you look at cable chains that have photo reviews and see how large they are / how they sit on a person's neck.
posted by virve at 7:16 PM on December 25, 2022


Response by poster: Oyeah, that clearly says "paper clip" style, which I said I know I don't want.

The charms are around an inch high, half-inch wide. Those are the largest.
posted by DMelanogaster at 7:33 PM on December 25, 2022


Does something like this appeal, or are you envisioning something chunkier?

If this sounds along the lines you want, you can see use the length/width and gauge that the seller list as your guide in terms of searching for an actual ready to wear chain with a toggle.
posted by virve at 7:50 PM on December 25, 2022


Seconding virve. I was going to say a rolo (not necessarily this one) which is similar to that posted above. There are more options and styles on this site perhaps the belcher or the curb or the flat anchor.
posted by sardonyx at 8:30 PM on December 25, 2022


What about buying a charm necklace (that already had charms attached with jump rings) and removing the charms and replacing them with yours? A quick google for “chunky charm necklace” came up with this option but I’m sure there are more out there if this style of chain is not quite right.
posted by MadamM at 8:41 PM on December 25, 2022


This is one of those times a chain store in the mall is a good option, just so you can see various styles and sizes all in one place. At Zales, for example, here's a selection of silver chains. Take a look at the selection and note what the different styles are called. The names are pretty universal and if you find a style you like you can start searching based on the description. I like this double rolo style, but I'm guessing the colour is wrong for you.

Jump rings can be easily changed, so if you find a chain you like in a size and weight that works for you, and the charm won't fit, that's barely an issue. Just swap out the jump ring for a bigger one.
posted by sardonyx at 8:43 PM on December 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


This Pandora chain necklace looks pretty oval to me and is made for their own charm collection.
posted by limbicdigest at 9:37 PM on December 25, 2022


The traditional place to get charms in Texas when I was a kid was James Avery, and sure enough they have several kinds of necklaces for charms. They also have bracelets which I think are more in the styles you're looking for. (I actually own a charm necklace from them that's probably very close what you want but they don't appear to make it any more. If you'd like to get a look at it to see if it's what you want, feel free to MeMail me.)

Even if they're not your bag or out of your price range, the James Avery pieces should give you an idea of what to look for and some names/terminology for other searches.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 11:25 PM on December 25, 2022 [1 favorite]


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