Byzantine link against king's link: the difference
Search for a Byzantine chain and half the results come back as king's link chains. The two names get used as if they described the same weave. Lay them side by side on a table and within two seconds you can see that they do not.
This article puts the two weaves next to each other: what to look for in a product photo, what the weave does with light, and when to choose which. The complete guide to types of king's link chain lists every variant. One thing up front: all four Byzantine pieces we carry are made of stainless steel with five layers of PVD, and all four are 6 mm wide.
1. Two weaves, two ways of catching light
The king's link is built from small links that interlock layer by layer. Every link is held on four sides by its neighbors. That produces a dense, even strand that looks the same from every side.
The Byzantine weave is built more openly. The loops sit loosely enough to let shadow fall between the links, and it is that shadow which makes the pattern readable. The weave becomes clearly three dimensional instead of a smooth strand.
You see the difference in the light. The king's link catches light as one plane: a continuous band of shine down the middle that travels with you. The Byzantine catches light in layers, with bright tops and dark hollows in between. From five meters away the king's link reads as a line and the Byzantine as relief.
That has a practical consequence. The 6 mm Byzantine has more protruding loops than any other pattern in the store, and every loop is a high point that rubs along a collar, a jacket zip or a belt.
2. How to tell them apart in a photo
Online the two chains often sit under the same name, so you have to read it off the photo yourself. There are three things to look at, and all three work on a small image too.
Look at the outline of the strand first. On the king's link the edge runs straight and closed, like two nearly parallel lines. On the Byzantine the edge undulates, because the outer loops stick out every few millimeters.
Then look at the dark spots. A king's link chain has a fine, regular texture without real gaps. On the Byzantine you see clear dark hollows between the loops, in a repeating block pattern you can count.
And read the width in the description. With us, Byzantine is always 6 mm and the king's link is always 2.5 mm or 5 mm. If 6 mm is listed on a silver Byzantine chain, that adds up. If 6 mm is listed on something called only a king's link chain, the odds are good that it is the Byzantine weave after all.
3. Why our Byzantine exists only in 6 mm
The king's link chain collection holds three widths: 2.5 mm, 5 mm and 6 mm. That 6 mm is the Byzantine, and it is no accident.
The Byzantine weave needs room, because the shadow between the loops is the pattern. Make the weave narrower and the loops close on each other, the shadow disappears and you are left with a thick strand with no texture. Below 6 mm you would be paying for a pattern you can no longer see. The king's link does not have that problem: it stays readable when it is fine, which is why we carry it in 2.5 mm solid 925 sterling silver and in 5 mm stainless steel.
There is nothing between 2.5 and 5 mm, and that is a choice. On a weave that grows in three directions, the amount of metal climbs far faster than the width alone suggests. What that means further is covered in the article on what sets the price of a king's link chain.
4. How they hang and wear differently
A 6 mm Byzantine carries more metal per centimeter than a 5 mm king's link. You notice it as you put it on: it lands heavier in the hand and settles straight faster at the neck.
Length therefore works differently. The Byzantine runs in 50 cm (20in), 55 cm (22in) and 60 cm (24in). At 50 cm it sits high and most of it disappears behind a collar, so you notice the thickness and not the pattern. If you want the weave to do the work, choose 60 cm. The 5 mm king's link runs in 50, 55, 65 cm (26in) and 75 cm (30in), and there 55 cm stays the most chosen length, just below the collarbone.
On a wrist it turns around. There the Byzantine wins, because a 6 mm Byzantine bracelet is looked at from close by, and that is exactly the distance at which this relief works. It comes in 18, 20 and 22 cm, like the rest of the king's link bracelets.
Measure your wrist and add about 1.5 cm. For a chain, lay one you already own beside the sizes, or use the chain size chart.
5. A pendant as well? Not on the Byzantine
This is the clearest practical limit between the two weaves, and it is rarely mentioned.
Almost any pendant bail fits on the 2.5 mm king's link, and that is what the width is for. On the 5 mm most bails fit, as long as you check first.
On the 6 mm Byzantine we advise against a pendant. The loops are too thick for most bails, and a bail that only just goes over will rub at the point where the finish takes the most punishment. Besides, this chain needs nothing, because the pattern is the piece. If you do want to wear a pendant, keep the Byzantine for the days it goes alone.
6. Care: dirt sits deeper here than on any other link
All four Byzantine pieces we carry, two chains and two bracelets, are made of stainless steel with five layers of PVD in gold tone or silver tone. With PVD the color is bonded to the steel at molecular level inside a vacuum chamber rather than laid on galvanically, and that makes the finish harder and more scratch resistant than a standard plated layer.
What this weave does ask for is cleaning. Dirt settles deeper between the loops than on almost any other link, and those hollows are exactly what the pattern is made of. A Byzantine chain that looks dull is almost never worn out, it is dirty. Lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft toothbrush lift it out, and afterwards you dry it well with a soft cloth.
Take it off before the pool, the shower and the gym, and put it on once fragrance or aftershave has dried. Why a king's link does not kink when you roll it up is covered in the article on how the weave is made.
Four mistakes you spot immediately
- Ordering the Byzantine at 50 cm (20in). Then you notice the thickness and not the pattern, while the pattern is what you are choosing it for. Take 60 cm (24in).
- Hanging a pendant on the 6 mm Byzantine. Most bails will not go over the loops, and the ones that only just do will rub.
- Assuming the two names describe the same piece. Always ask for the width in millimeters. With us 6 mm is Byzantine and 2.5 and 5 mm are the king's link.
- Polishing the weave instead of cleaning it. A polishing cloth does not reach between the loops. Lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft toothbrush do.
Where do you start?
Want the relief and the depth? The 6 mm Byzantine chain in gold tone at 60 cm (24in), or the same weave in silver tone. If you would rather wear something only on your wrist, the 6 mm silver Byzantine bracelet in 18, 20 or 22 cm is the shortest route to the same pattern.
Want a quieter strand you wear every day, including under a shirt? Then you are heading for the king's link: 2.5 mm for under a collar, 5 mm when it is allowed to be seen.
Want to see everything side by side first? The king's link collection holds both weaves, in every width and in both tones.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Byzantine chain the same as a king's link chain?
No, they are two weaves. The king's link interlocks layer by layer and forms a dense, even strand. The Byzantine sits more openly, with shadow between the loops and clear depth.
What are the Carpe Ice Byzantine chains made of?
Stainless steel with five layers of PVD, in gold tone or silver tone. All four Byzantine pieces, two chains and two bracelets, are 6 mm wide.
How do I see which of the two it is in a photo?
Look at the outline of the strand. On the king's link it runs straight and closed, on the Byzantine it undulates because the outer loops stick out. With us Byzantine is always 6 mm.
Why does the Byzantine exist only in 6 mm?
Because the shadow between the loops is the pattern. Made narrower, the loops close on each other, that shadow disappears and you are left with a thick strand with no texture.
Can I wear a pendant on a Byzantine chain?
We advise against it. The 6 mm loops are too thick for most pendant bails. Almost any bail fits the 2.5 mm king's link and most fit the 5 mm.
Which Byzantine chain length should I choose?
Take 60 cm (24in) if you want to see the pattern, because at 50 cm (20in) most of it disappears behind a collar. The chain runs in 50, 55 and 60 cm and the bracelet in 18, 20 and 22 cm.
