Fixed versus sliding pendant - what’s better?

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I know it’s personal choice and all that, but for a solitaire / halo pendant, would you prefer a fixed or a sliding pendant? What are the pros and cons for both?

I ask because I know someone who wants to get a pendant for herself, and she asked me for my opinion on what style is better. When I got my pendant I didn’t even think to specify to my jeweler what I wanted, and he went ahead and made me a fixed one. I’m happy with it, but I don’t know how to make a recommendation to her because I don’t know what the possible pros/cons could be of both.

 

[Lookinagain]

I prefer pendants that slide as they seem to stay centered better. My fixed solitaire pendant gets off center easily and I'm always adjusting it whereas I don't have to do that with my solitaire pendants that slide.

 

[dk168]

It depends on the pendant and the type of chain to be worn with it.

I only have 2 chains, one is a box chain and the other a multi-strand twisted cable chain that is more rigid than the box chain and sit higher up on my chunky neck.

If the pendent is sufficiently heavy, the clasp of the box chain will not be pulled to the front.

As for the twisted cable chain, the clasp will always end up being in the front, and I just have to adjust and move it to the back of my neck.

I personally would rather move the clasp of a chain back to the back, than for the attachment points on a pendant being lopsided if the chain is fixed on two points on the pendant, even for round shaped pendants.

Hope the above makes sense.

DK

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Ugh I hate clasp slippage so if the pendant is 18” or less I vote fixed.

 

[bludiva]

+1 for sliding - i find fixed move off center or flip more

 

[AuntKiki]

I like fixed so the clasp doesn’t slip around to the front.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I prefer pendants that slide as they seem to stay centered better. My fixed solitaire pendant gets off center easily and I'm always adjusting it whereas I don't have to do that with my solitaire pendants that slide.

That's an interesting observation! My fixed pendant is really short (15" chain) and so it tends to stay centred really well. But someone else pointed out as well that if a pendant is light and/or the chain is long, it is likely to not remain centred. That seems to be a pretty important pro for sliding.

It depends on the pendant and the type of chain to be worn with it.

I only have 2 chains, one is a box chain and the other a multi-strand twisted cable chain that is more rigid than the box chain and sit higher up on my chunky neck.

If the pendent is sufficiently heavy, the clasp of the box chain will not be pulled to the front.

As for the twisted cable chain, the clasp will always end up being in the front, and I just have to adjust and move it to the back of my neck.

I personally would rather move the clasp of a chain back to the back, than for the attachment points on a pendant being lopsided if the chain is fixed on two points on the pendant, even for round shaped pendants.

Hope the above makes sense.

DK

Thanks so much for the detailed explanation! I think that makes a lot of sense! I don't know what exactly she's planning (though I don't think it'll be a very heavy pendant, probably a simple solitaire or a small halo). And I have no idea at all about the type of chain she favours - I don't know much about what chains are called at all. I'll ask her a few more Qs of what she wants to make to see if then we can narrow down what's the best type of pendant for her.

Ugh I hate clasp slippage so if the pendant is 18” or less I vote fixed.

I get annoyed by clasp slippage too! I have a very long chain I wear sometimes and I get really annoyed with it because the clasp refuses to stay in place. I'm glad that I sort of accidentally went with fixed for my own pendant because my chain is short (15") so I don't ever have the opposite problem (askew pendant).

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

+1 for sliding - i find fixed move off center or flip more

Flipping is also an important consideration! My jeweler said it tends to happen more with martini or bezel settings though. That's why I went with a setting with a flat back. That's another potential question to ask, actually - what kind of pendant setting does she want? If she wants something prone to flipping perhaps sliding is better (to mitigate I suppose).

I like fixed so the clasp doesn’t slip around to the front.

I also dislike it when the clasp moves to the front, good point! Seems like the cons of sliding are mainly that the clasp becomes visible and the cons of fixed are that it can go askew/flip.

I wonder if one setting is safer than the other (e.g. less prone to damage or breaking off)?

 

[dk168]

Separate chain and pendants are more versatile, as long as the jump ring is small enough to go through the bail on different pendants.

My box chain and twisted cable wire chain are about 1.3mm as thin and delicate chains will just disappear around my chunky neck!

The cable wire chain has a detachable jump ring to enable the wire to go through small bails. I just need to be very careful not to drop the jump ring onto the floor as it will be nightmare to try and find it, especially on shagpile carpets!

The vendor where I got this twisted cable wire chain has since modified the design and make the clasp end removable instead. This way, it is easier to find if dropped onto the floor.

For the box chain, it is only 16in in length as a 18in chain is not available from that particular Etsy vendor, and 18in chains in that thickness are a lot more expensive elsewhere.

So I bought a 2in extender chain in 14k WG from another Etsy store. This way, I can wear the 16in chain in variable lengths up to 18in to suit different pendants and outfits.

I digressed, sorry!

DK

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Separate chain and pendants are more versatile, as long as the jump ring is small enough to go through the bail on different pendants.

My box chain and twisted cable wire chain are about 1.3mm as thin and delicate chains will just disappear around my chunky neck!

The cable wire chain has a detachable jump ring to enable the wire to go through small bails. I just need to be very careful not to drop the jump ring onto the floor as it will be nightmare to try and find it, especially on shagpile carpets!

The vendor where I got this twisted cable wire chain has since modified the design and make the clasp end removable instead. This way, it is easier to find if dropped onto the floor.

For the box chain, it is only 16in in length as a 18in chain is not available from that particular Etsy vendor, and 18in chains in that thickness are a lot more expensive elsewhere.

So I bought a 2in extender chain in 14k WG from another Etsy store. This way, I can wear the 16in chain in variable lengths up to 18in to suit different pendants and outfits.

I digressed, sorry!

DK

I totally get your point on versatility! In my own case I got the thinnest possible chain that would not break because I wanted something that would be delicate and “floaty”, so my jeweler had recommended against making it removable even if I went with sliding. But for a slightly thicker chain it would definitely be preferable to have it sliding/removable. Though a chain with detachable clasp/jump ring makes me nervous!

 

[lala646]

I have one fixed solitaire pendant, and three sliding solitaire pendants. I will never again do fixed. It bothers me that I'm always fussing with it to re-center the stone on my neck. I prefer my sliding pendants, as they self-correct.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I have one fixed solitaire pendant, and three sliding solitaire pendants. I will never again do fixed. It bothers me that I'm always fussing with it to re-center the stone on my neck. I prefer my sliding pendants, as they self-correct.

Seems like sliding pendants are way more popular! I wonder why mine stays put. I guess it’s a combo of dry, non-smooth skin and short chain

I’ll definitely pass on all of this to her and let her decide! Thanks for weighing in!

 

[Dmndsr4evr11]

I have a sliding bezel and love it. Rarely does the clasp move to the front. It doesn’t flip either.

 

[MamaBee]

I like fixed pendants on me..The clasp always winds up in the front or side of my neck..I have to keep fixing it which is so annoying.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I have a sliding bezel and love it. Rarely does the clasp move to the front. It doesn’t flip either.

Is flipping a major concern even with a heavier pendant with a stable/flat back, in your opinion?

I like fixed pendants on me..The clasp always winds up in the front or side of my neck..I have to keep fixing it which is so annoying.

I don’t like visible clasps either, and since my fixed pendant stays in place it’s best of both worlds for me!

 

[maisie2]

I prefer sliding. I have both, and the fixed pendants tend to end up out of place and on the side of my neck pretty quickly. The sliding pendants stay centered pretty well.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I prefer sliding. I have both, and the fixed pendants tend to end up out of place and on the side of my neck pretty quickly. The sliding pendants stay centered pretty well.

Does the clasp of the sliding pendant stay towards the back of your neck well enough?

 

[MamaBee]

Is flipping a major concern even with a heavier pendant with a stable/flat back, in your opinion?




I don’t like visible clasps either, and since my fixed pendant stays in place it’s best of both worlds for me!

Yes..I should have clarified that the sliding pendant‘s clasp always moves to the front and side on me.

 

[maisie2]

Does the clasp of the sliding pendant stay towards the back of your neck well enough?

As long as the pendant is heavy enough, the clasp stays in place. And I would still prefer to deal with a wandering clasp versus a wandering pendant!

I feel like this is kind of a “pick your poison” situation - either the pendant moves, or the clasp moves.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

As long as the pendant is heavy enough, the clasp stays in place. And I would still prefer to deal with a wandering clasp versus a wandering pendant!

I feel like this is kind of a “pick your poison” situation - either the pendant moves, or the clasp moves.

When you put it like that…

it seems to me from what people have said that a lot depends on how heavy/stable the pendant is and how short the chain is. Long chains and light pendants/pendants without a flat back seem to lend themselves more to movement and then a sliding chain seems preferable because even if the clasp becomes visible the pendant doesn’t vanish. Shorter chains and heavier/flat-back pendants don’t really move much, so then it’s dealer’s choice.

I spoke to her to let her know that people seem divided about 75%-25% sliding/fixed and gave her some pros and cons. She tried on my pendant and found it comfortable, but the idea of a wandering pendant annoys her so I think she is leaning towards the sliding for now. We left it as food for thought for now. Thanks everyone who weighed in!!

 

[lucida818]

I have an oval solitaire on a fixed link chain.
It does stay away from the centre but not too much to annoy me. I actually wanted it to be sliding but seller of the diamond said it was better to be fixed so be it.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I have an oval solitaire on a fixed link chain.
It does stay away from the centre but not too much to annoy me. I actually wanted it to be sliding but seller of the diamond said it was better to be fixed so be it.

I wonder if there’s a reason why it’s better to go for fixed. I asked my own jeweler out of curiosity yesterday and he replied today to tell me that it’s just what he defaults to, that’s why he made it that way for me. He did offer to change it if it bothered me, but I liked it fixed because mine doesn’t move around and so I dont have a wandering clasp problem either.