Gold Cuban Link Chains Without Stones

Gold Cubans are sold by width, but the smart comparison is price per millimeter, because it shows how much gold is in each link. Here is the math on the current lineup.

The round-link Miami Cuban Chain 5mm costs more than twice as much per millimeter as the flat 5 mm. That gap is gold: round links are thicker top to bottom. The flat Cubans are ground down for a low, smooth profile and use less metal.

Flat Miami Cubans sit close to the skin and catch light across a broad polished face. They are easy to wear under a collar and pair well with a pendant. Round-link Cubans are chunkier and heavier in the hand, with more depth from the side. If you want the classic heavy Miami Cuban feel, round links are it. If you want width on a budget, flat links get you there. The Cuban width guide shows each size on the body.

Solid links are gold all the way through. Hollow links are a gold tube, which is why the 6 mm, 7.5 mm and 8.5 mm hollow chains cost less than a solid chain of the same width would. Hollow chains are lighter to wear but can dent, and chain sellers note that dents in hollow links are often not repairable. If this is your one forever chain, choose solid. Check grams against our Cuban weight chart before you buy any gold chain.

All of these chains are 10K gold, 41.7 percent pure. Compared with 14K (58.3 percent) and 18K (75 percent), 10K is harder and more scratch-resistant, which suits a chain that rubs against itself all day. The color is a touch paler than 14K yellow. The gold karat guide explains the tradeoffs, and the FTC requires the karat to be marked accurately, so look for a 10K or 417 stamp near the clasp. Industry rules allow a karat marking to fall short by no more than 3 parts per thousand, or 7 with solder.

A pendant needs a chain strong enough to carry it and a bail wide enough to slide over the links. Flat Cubans are the friendliest pendant chains because the links are low and smooth, so the bail does not snag. As a rule of thumb, a small pendant sits well on the 3.7 mm flat Cuban, a medium iced piece on the 5 or 5.8 mm, and a large piece on the solid 5 mm round-link Cuban, which has the most gold per link. Avoid hanging a heavy pendant on a hollow chain: the bail rubs one spot all day and hollow links wear through faster. Measure the bail opening before you order. If the bail is narrower than the chain is wide, it will not fit over the clasp end. The Cuban with a pendant guide shows the combinations that work.

Most of these Cubans come in yellow and white gold, and the 5 mm Miami Cuban also comes in rose. Lengths run 16 to 26 inches depending on the chain, at one price. Clean with warm water and mild soap, brushing between the links, then dry with a soft cloth. To compare prices across the market, read how much a Cuban link costs and the buying guide. Every order ships insured, and you can see the showroom at 7900 NW 27th Ave, Unit 506 in Miami. More styles live at all chains.