Chain/pendant ratio for CBI/DK project?

[SandyinAnaheim]

You all were so helpful yesterday, I'm hoping maybe you can help me with my big project. I have been hunting for a chain for nearly 4 months for my CBI station necklace project. I originally tried antique belcher chains, but they were too busy for my pendants.

DK told me I should be looking for a chain of about 5 mm to balance the pendants. This particular chain is 6.5 mm. My project has one large central pendant measuring 37 mm in a diamond shape, and 6 smaller round pendants/charms that are 14.25 mm wide. I think the main pendant will be mounted on the chain, and the smaller pendants will be danglies (TBD).

Do you think 6.5 mm for the chain might be too wide to balance the smaller pendants, or does it look good? The vendor was kind enough to do a mock-up of the chain with pendants she has on hand to give me an idea of scale and balance. What are your thoughts?

 

[AV_]

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INDEED

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

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INDEED

Can you please clarify? I don't understand what you're trying to say. Yes, it's too wide? Or yes, it looks good? Thanks.

 

[AV_]

Oops... I was speechless, in fact. I love the style & it is unexpected here.

I am delighted with the look of the mockup necklace - the chain contributes to the look rather than merely getting things to hang as a lighter chain would.

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

Oops... I was speechless, in fact. I love the style & it is unexpected here.

I am delighted with the look of the mockup necklace - the chain contributes to the look rather than merely getting things to hang as a lighter chain would.

Great! Thank you! That's what I wanted to know, if the necklace adds to the look, like I think it does. It's been really hard to muddle through the design of the whole thing with no help or outside opinions. As you might remember, my first thread on RT didn't get much traction.

 

[prs]

6.5 mm is extraordinarily thick, and will be quite heavy and expensive in 14K. If you haven't see a chain this size in person, I might suggest a tour of local pawn shops that are located in the better parts of town. They almost always have a good selection of yellow gold chains of varying thicknesses.

 

[AV_]

It is not a common style and making necklaces work - drape & sit well - is not simple, so I am finding it difficult to give an opinion. I recall seeing flat link chains at least this size set with stone stations - a great look! A rolling chain would move differently.

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

6.5 mm is extraordinarily thick, and will be quite heavy and expensive in 14K. If you haven't see a chain this size in person, I might suggest a tour of local pawn shops that are located in the better parts of town. They almost always have a good selection of yellow gold chains of varying thicknesses.

I like heavy chains and both the chain and pendants are in 18k. I've been to several chain stores in downtown LA and looked at hundreds of chains. I like the older Rolo style like this chain with the thicker links. It's an evolution from the Belcher chains of the Victorian period. The current Rolos have links that are thinner and more open. Amy from DK said I needed at least 5mm to balance the weight of the pendants. I was thinking that the weight of the pendants, and how they are attached, will eliminate flipping for the most part. The smaller pendants are 2 1/3 x bigger than the chain, and the central pendant is more than 6x the width.

I have ordered and returned half a dozen chains, and even ended up keeping one really beautiful one that didn't work for this project.

I don't want the pendants to overwhelm the chain, or the chain to overwhelm the pendants.

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

It is not a common style and making necklaces work - drape & sit well - is not simple, so I am finding it difficult to give an opinion. I recall seeing flat link chains at least this size set with stone stations - a great look! A rolling chain would move differently.

Yes, that's the whole point, I don't want to have a common piece, although I understand that part of what makes pieces common is the fact that they work well and the engineering has been perfected. In this case, I don't have the pendants to try on chains, and haven't found a chain I'm in love with. The pendants are due to be completed at week's end, and I hope to visit DK next week, hopefully with chain in hand. Amy said the chain would work well to attach the pendants to, but no opinions on style or aesthetics is forthcoming.

 

[AV_]

I like the chain for the same reason you do.

If the pendants counterweight the chain, I would only worry about length & this is something to adjust with DK.

I immagine the necklace will be the perfect summer piece!

 

[prs]

I know Amy has two chain vendors she works with, one of them is on an upper floor in her building. We took our newly minted pendants up there to select the perfect chains. The chains were priced by the gram, make sure you get the Amy price!

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

I like the chain for the same reason you do.

If the pendants counterweight the chain, I would only worry about length & this is something to adjust with DK.

I imagine the necklace will be the perfect summer piece!

Well, the pendants weigh 39g in total, and this chain weighs about 25g. The length will be 18" or thereabouts. The center pendant will likely be mounted to the center of the chain, like a bezeled diamond solitaire usually is, which should reduce movement. I expect NO flipping on the center due to its size and weight.

I know Amy has two chain vendors she works with, one of them is on an upper floor in her building. We took our newly minted pendants up there to select the perfect chains. The chains were priced by the gram, make sure you get the Amy price!

Yes, I've been to Gold Link twice now, but without the pendants in hand, it's really hard. I've seen a lot of things in their catalogues that could work, but these heavier chains I'd have to pre-order, sight unseen, and hope they work....much like this chain I've quasi-chosen. And I'm paying just a little over melt weight for it.

 

[Miss Marple]

I like the chain a lot with the center medallion, but my personal opinion is that the charms look a little small and light compared with the chain. The 5mm recommendation might provide a more balanced look for the charms but not sure how much that would affect the look of the center medallion. Looking forward to seeing the final result, though.

 

[missy]

You all were so helpful yesterday, I'm hoping maybe you can help me with my big project. I have been hunting for a chain for nearly 4 months for my CBI station necklace project. I originally tried antique belcher chains, but they were too busy for my pendants.

DK told me I should be looking for a chain of about 5 mm to balance the pendants. This particular chain is 6.5 mm. My project has one large central pendant measuring 37 mm in a diamond shape, and 6 smaller round pendants/charms that are 14.25 mm wide. I think the main pendant will be mounted on the chain, and the smaller pendants will be danglies (TBD).

Do you think 6.5 mm for the chain might be too wide to balance the smaller pendants, or does it look good? The vendor was kind enough to do a mock-up of the chain with pendants she has on hand to give me an idea of scale and balance. What are your thoughts?

I think this will be beautiful. I don't have the measurements but here is a pendant (from my mom/grandmother) I wear on a thicker gold rope chain. It's at the beach house so I'm sorry I cannot take measurements for you but maybe it will provide a helpful visual.

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

Thank you @missy!

 

[AV_]

Well, the pendants weigh 39g in total, and this chain weighs about 25g. The length will be 18" or thereabouts. The center pendant will likely be mounted to the center of the chain, like a bezeled diamond solitaire usually is, which should reduce movement. I expect NO flipping on the center due to its size and weight.

I recall a 'rule' that the portion of a necklace hanging off the colar bone should weigh more than half of the sum total [source, old school Japanese house; name escapes]; the length resting on the shoulder needs to be discounted, so this rule for weight distribution is a challenge for short nechlaces or pendants that live above the neckline... I have never seen a technical argument, but it cannot be simple.
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Digressing: Gold coin necklaces are the only traditional jewelry back in the country - I have never dared wear one & have certainly not seen one worn out of context, but the idea that the CB reserve is wearable is much deeper than anything relating to transparent little crystals; the golden do make sense... TMI

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

I like the chain a lot with the center medallion, but my personal opinion is that the charms look a little small and light compared with the chain. The 5mm recommendation might provide a more balanced look for the charms but not sure how much that would affect the look of the center medallion. Looking forward to seeing the final result, though.

Thank you @Miss Marple. I don't know if it makes a difference, but the smaller charms will all have ~.40 CBIs in the centers. Eventually, when CBI has more stones in that size available, I plan to add 2-4 more charms. The charms will not be clustered on the necklace as they are in the mock-up. Does that make a difference in perspective at all? Thanks.

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

The Pendants are done! Here they are before the stones have been set. What type of chain do you think would look best? On an 18" chain, I might not have room for more than two more of the smaller pendants, I think.

 

[PintoBean]

I suggest going to a place like Claire's where they have lots of costume jewelry to play around with the different gauges.

 

[Miss Marple]

The pendants a e beautiful! Thinking of my own preferred chain lengths, I think 18" is too short. I'd go with 20" at a minimum. Agree with @PintoBean that obtaining a variety of inexpensive chains for testing purposes is a great idea.

In response to your question, having 0.4 diamonds in the center of the smaller pendants might make a difference. However, proportionally, a chain closer to 1/3 the width of the pendants is likely more pleasing to the eye than a chain that approaches 1/2 the width. Think "rule of thirds". Not hard and fast but there's a reason the rule exists. Regardless, you also need to take the larger pendant into consideration and at the end of the day, the wider chain may very well provide the best overall aesthetic.

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

The pendants a e beautiful! Thinking of my own preferred chain lengths, I think 18" is too short. I'd go with 20" at a minimum. Agree with @PintoBean that obtaining a variety of inexpensive chains for testing purposes is a great idea.

In response to your question, having 0.4 diamonds in the center of the smaller pendants might make a difference. However, proportionally, a chain closer to 1/3 the width of the pendants is likely more pleasing to the eye than a chain that approaches 1/2 the width. Think "rule of thirds". Not hard and fast but there's a reason the rule exists. Regardless, you also need to take the larger pendant into consideration and at the end of the day, the wider chain may very well provide the best overall aesthetic.

Thank you for pointing me to the rule of thirds. I only knew about it in relation to art and photography.

As for the length, the center of an 18" change hangs approximately 1-1 1/4" below my suprasternal notch. I figured if the large pendant is fixed in the center of the chain from both sides of the chain, not with a bale, it's going to hang another inch lower. Due to my age, I don't wear low cut blouses as often, so I was thinking a lot of the larger pendant might be hidden by clothing if I make the chain too long.

As for playing with chain widths, it's been really hard without pendants in hand. I plan on doing exactly that when I go up there next week, but with real chain candidates. I'll likely take pictures and post them before I make a choice. I'm a bit indecisive as I would like to get it right the first time.

 

[KristinTech]

@SandyinAnaheim This is so craaaazy exciting!!!!

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

@SandyinAnaheim This is so craaaazy exciting!!!!

Thank you, it is! But nervewracking too because I'm terrified of making costly mistakes.

 

[EC8]

You may want to check out the IG feed or website of tcgoutal.
They sell antique star and crescent (converted) pendants, on very substantial chains. Might give you an idea if you like the scale/ratio of a heavier chain.

 

[Miss Marple]

I'm anxiously awaiting the final product. Given the overall presence the final necklace will have, I still think a longer chain will be better. The necklace will then sit very nicely over your tops with a crew neck or other higher neckline. Could also very nicely frame a higher V neck (with the necklace sitting on the fabric). Maybe pick a length and also get an extender?

Btw, I think of jewelry as art--thus, the rule of thirds still has meaning in terms of pleasing proportions.

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

You may want to check out the IG feed or website of tcgoutal.
They sell antique star and crescent (converted) pendants, on very substantial chains. Might give you an idea if you like the scale/ratio of a heavier chain.

Thank you @EC8 that was really helpful!! It's good to see different diameters of chains on all those lovely pendants. Makes me feel a little less nervous about making a monumental error.

 

[SandyinAnaheim]

I'm anxiously awaiting the final product. Given the overall presence the final necklace will have, I still think a longer chain will be better. The necklace will then sit very nicely over your tops with a crew neck or other higher neckline. Could also very nicely frame a higher V neck (with the necklace sitting on the fabric). Maybe pick a length and also get an extender?

Btw, I think of jewelry as art--thus, the rule of thirds still has meaning in terms of pleasing proportions.

@Miss Marple I've been thinking about this and I think you're right about the length. Having the ability to lengthen it will make it more versatile. The vendor has the necklace and matching bracelet and is willing to sell me as much as I want of it, for a total of 22.75" and 33g. If the necklace works with the pendants, maybe I'll take both pieces and have part of the bracelet made as an extender. I think the clasps on both pieces are attractive.

For scale, the smaller pendants are just a little smaller than a dime. Dimes are about 19 mm, and the smaller pendants are 14.25 mm.

 

[Miss Marple]

The dime looks great to me in terms of scale. The smaller medallions might be a little small but I also think there's a good chance the chain will work because the center medallion has a lot of presence--particularly with a chain in the 18-22" range.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Wow, I was really missing out by not visiting your previous threads! This project is right up my alley, aesthetically. It is bold and interesting and luxurious... and I mean those terms in all the best ways!

I really love the look of this chain you are considering. I love the size and weight because you can really appreciate the texture/pattern of the links so much better at that size when viewed from a distance, as necklaces are. And I love texture and pattern, it just adds so much visual and tactile interest to a piece. And it seems like serendipity that there is also a bracelet. Having an extender seems like a very good option because it will allow you to wear this work of art with so many different necklines, as Molly Malone said.

Now I have never owned or worn a chain of this size so I can't really speak to whether 5mm or 6mm is better. But I like what I am seeing in all these images you are posting, so that must count for something!

Can't wait t see this project develop!

 

[icy_jade]

As an alternative to extender you can also put in length adjusters on a 20 inch chain? Suggest at 19 and 18 inches interval. Quite simple to add slightly bigger loops for the hook on the chain.