Gold and Diamond Chains

The chain wall at Franky Diamonds is built around one rule: real gold, marked with its karat, priced per piece. All 46 chains are 10K gold. They run from fine everyday chains under $400 to heavy Cuban, rope and Franco chains near $5,000. Each listing carries one price across its lengths, so a 24 inch chain costs the same as the 18 inch version of that style.

Three pieces show the spread. Curb Chain 1.5mm ($300) is the entry point for a real gold curb. Flat Miami Cuban Chain 3.7mm ($1,355) is the lightest true Cuban look. Rope Chain 5mm ($4,960) is the heaviest gold chain on the site. For the Cuban family alone, start at Cuban link chains.

Width is measured across one link in millimeters. Under 2 mm reads as a fine chain for a pendant. From 3 to 5 mm it reads as a chain you wear on its own. Past 6 mm it is a statement. Length is measured end to end with the clasp closed. On most men, 20 inches sits at the collarbone, 22 inches on the upper chest and 24 inches at mid chest, according to Brilliant Earth's men's length guide. Full fit charts are in our men's chain length guide and the Cuban link width guide.

A solid chain has gold all the way through each link. A hollow chain is a gold shell around an empty core, so it looks wide for less gold and less money. The tradeoff is dents: a hollow link that gets crushed is hard to fix, a point chain sellers warn about openly. On this site the hollow pieces say so in the name, for example Hollow Cuban Chain 7.5mm ($2,870). Compare that against Miami Cuban Chain 5mm ($4,260), which is listed as solid gold. Weight drives price, and our Cuban link weight chart shows why.

10K gold is 41.7 percent pure gold. 14K is 58.3 percent and 18K is 75 percent. Lower karat means more alloy, which makes the metal harder and better at shrugging off daily scratches and bends, a point Blue Nile makes in its karat comparison. It also keeps a wide chain affordable, because you pay for less pure gold per gram. Under the FTC Jewelry Guides, a gold piece must be marked with its true karat, so the stamp on the clasp should read 10K or 417.

The chains on this page are plain gold. Iced chains, where diamonds run through every link, live in the showroom as one-of-a-kind house necklaces. They are graded and listed by stone origin, either lab-grown or natural, so you know exactly what you are paying for. See them at diamond chains or read the diamond Cuban link guide.

• Clasps: a lobster clasp is the most common closure on fine chains. Heavier chains benefit from a box clasp with a safety latch.
• Care: warm water, a drop of mild soap and a soft brush. GIA lists that method as safe for most jewelry.
• Custom: if the style you want is not here, the custom process starts with your idea, then a design and an exact price before anything is made.

Every order ships insured. Want to see gold on skin first? Come to the Miami showroom at 7900 NW 27th Ave, Unit 506, or plan the trip at visit the showroom.