Why do men wear gold chains? To answer this question, we must go back in history to ancient Babylonia of approximately 2500 BC. Why did men wear gold chains then? The men of that time wore chains to protect themselves from evil. Why did Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans wear chains? Their purpose, along with protection was to show off their status. They are known to be the first who attached gold pendants with semi-precious stones to their chains. Byzantines wore chains with crosses to demonstrate their religion. During the Middle Ages kings and clergy also wore thick gold chains with insignia or badges of office as distinctive signs of power. Through the Renaissance period chains became more of a decoration. With the influence of Henry VIII, a great fan of hefty gold chains, they became popular in Britain, Germany and Flanders, where men started to wear ponderous gold chains. In the 20th century men became interested in chains during the 1960s thanks to Jimi Hendrix, in 70s and 80s hip-hop culture brought them into mainstream fashion for good.
So why do men wear gold chains now? The reasons haven’t changed much over the centuries. Some wear gold chains to display their status, others attach pendants with religious ornaments to protect themselves and depict their religious affiliation, but more often modern men use gold chains for style.
The reason we got into history of chains is the question itself. Often asking “Why do men wear gold chains?” people usually mean “Do mean wear gold chains?”. In order to make the answer more convincing we provided examples from history. And the answer is: “Men do wear gold chains!”
But if you really want to know “Why”, then the answer is simple. Because they have the ability and desire. Nowadays, neither men nor women don’t need the reason to wear specific jewelry. Gold chains for men are as popular as the same jewelry items for women. Modern jewelry stores offer a great variety of metals, colors, styles and gemstones for men’s chains.
The most common metals for chains are gold, sterling silver and platinum. Gold is the best option for such jewelry like men’s chains, as it provides the best compromise of price, looks and durability. The prevalent choice of gold quality for chains is from 10k to 18k, and recommended length of a chain for men is considered to be 20-24 inches, though you may step away from classics and choose any length you want.
It may surprise a man who is about to open a world of jewelry chains for himself, but there are different colors of gold to pick from. Yes, there’s not only classic yellow, but also rose, white and even black. So, if you don’t want to stand out much with a classic yellow gold chain, you may opt for white gold, platinum or sterling silver. Those chains also look very stylish and edgy but won’t draw as much attention. They are meant more to finish the look, instead of making the accent on the jewelry itself. But if your intention is to get noticed, you should consider rose or black gold. The chains for men in rose gold are gaining their popularity as more and more celebs choose them to spice up their looks. Such gold chains add the texture to the layered look when combined with chains of other colors, and when added to those of white and yellow gold, remind of a famous Cartier Trinity adding the air of classic elegance and chic. Chains for men made of black gold is the jewelry no one will consider not manly enough. No matter the style of the chain the color will speak for itself. It is created to highlight strength and sexuality of a real man.
Any jewelry becomes more exquisite when set with gemstones. To add more personality to your gold chain you may choose different precious or semi-precious stones, or maybe opt for diamonds to get the chain embedded with.
When talking about the style of a gold chain it’s important to say that there are so many types and variation of types that it’s hard to count them all. Let’s talk about few most popular styles of chains among men.
Cuban link chain became popular in the 1970s thanks to hip-hop culture. The interlocking pattern of the Cuban link chain provides good durability and strength to the jewelry. Bold and chunky gold chain became a must-have in order to show wealth and status. Through the years the gold Cuban link chains remained popular as the time showed they are practical for everyday wear, can be worn by men and women, suitable for different outfit styles, looks great alone and when layered with other chains.
Figaro chains came from Italy. They are famous for the distinctive pattern which displays the alternation of links’ shapes. One long oval link is followed by several smaller circular ones to form a flat chain into a Figaro style. Men prefer this type of chain because even when made thick it still remains intriguing, unusual and eye-catching.
Mariner link chains have the pattern of identical oval links with the vertical bar inside every link. It’s considered to be one of the strongest gold chains as they were designed after heavy-duty chains used to hold anchors. Hence, is the name of the chain style. It looks bold and masculine and is perfect for heavy pendants.
Rolo link chain has oval or circular wide links interlocking to create a thick chain. This pattern looks like the most basic plain chain but is very strong and durable. Its style is also practical as the design is simple and goes well with any outfit.
Dog-tag chain contains solid or hollow ball links. They came from military, as originally those chains were meant for the identification tags of soldiers. It’s hard to find the more masculine chain. It’s perfect for different kinds of medallions and looks good when combined with other chains.
Where can I buy a real gold chain? That’s the right question a man should ask, especially after all the proofs from above. A jewelry store with good reputation and reviews is the best place to purchase a gold chain. You may visit a good old brick-and-mortar store or shop your jewelry online. In the store you can try on the chain you prefer, see the length and the width, feel the weight and consider the variants the shop assistant may offer. If the assistant is a real professional, he’ll manage to give a useful advice considering your preferences and budget.
While shopping online you’re able to look for the gold chains according to the style, materials, price, length, karats, stones, colors… The search may seem fast, but you should attentively read the description of the jewelry item in order to get what you really are looking for. Check the length and width of the chain, weight and karats of gold carefully. Pay attention if it really is a solid gold, plated gold or a hollow piece of jewelry. They look the same on the picture but may disappoint you upon arrival. While buying online, check the comments of the clients and the return policy of the seller. If everything seems right, pay for the purchase and enjoy your chain.
What the gold chain is able to tell about a man? That this man can afford himself fine jewelry, is confident about the choices he makes and has got a sense of style. Why do men wear gold chains? Because they are men who know for sure that they don’t need a reason to wear the jewelry they want.
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