Carpe Ice Blog
Every Carpe Ice guide in one place, sorted by topic. No fluff, just sizes, millimeters and materials: the things you want to know before you choose a piece of jewelry.
Gifts
Buying for someone else: what to give, in what size, and what fits on an engraving.
Size and length
The most common question about jewelry. These are the measurements you need before you order.
How to choose chain length: where 45 to 75 cm (18 to 30 in) really fallsWhere each length falls on your body, and why a pendant changes the length.
Which bracelet for which wrist: sizes and widths at a glanceMeasure your wrist, add 1.5 cm (0.6 in), and pick the width that suits your wrist.
Cuban bracelet: 3, 5 or 7 mm in 18, 20 or 22 cm (7, 7.9 or 8.7 in)Which width goes with your chain, and why a stone-set version shouldn't sit tight.
Which box chain length suits you best?The box chain in 45, 50 and 55 cm (18, 20 and 22 in): where each length sits and which one suits you.
Iced out Cuban link chain: which width and which length?Width first, then length: 50, 55 and 60 cm (20, 22 and 24 in) at 6, 8 and 10 mm.
Chain links explained
What really separates one link from another, in millimeters instead of adjectives.
Five chain types compared: width, length and how they drapeCuban, king, rope, figaro and box: widths, lengths and how each link catches the light.
Eight kinds of bracelets, and what they're really made ofFrom Cuban to jubilee: widths, sizes and construction for each bracelet family.
Cuban chain: the complete width chart from 2 to 12 mmEvery Cuban width side by side on one scale, with the lengths included.
How a king chain is made, and why it doesn't kinkWhy a king link doesn't twist and feels heavier than its width suggests.
What types of king chains are there?The variations of the king link side by side, and how to pick the right one.
Byzantine vs. king link: the differenceTwo weaves that often get mixed up, and how to tell them apart.
What determines the price of a king chain?Construction, width, length and solid or hollow: here's how the price breaks down.
Rope chain: why the same twist comes in three price rangesThe same twisted weave in steel, 925 silver and gold plated, and what wears first on each version.
Jubilee bracelet: the five-piece link with a fold-over claspHow the five-piece link and the fold-over clasp work, and how to choose color and size.
Box chain as a pendant base: 2 mm or 3 mmWhy the box chain is the cleanest chain for a pendant, and when to go for 3 mm.
Iced out, stones and earrings
Cubic zirconia, moissanite and diamond: how they differ, and what that difference looks like in real life.
What does iced out mean? Stones, settings and widths explainedWhich stones are in it, why the setting decides how real it looks and what VVS means.
Iced out Cuban: cubic zirconia on copper alloy or moissanite on 925 silverTwo iced out Cubans, two different pieces: what the stone and the base each do.
Cubic zirconia, moissanite or diamond: what you really see on a chainHardness and refractive index side by side: what each stone actually looks like around your neck.
Moissanite, cubic zirconia or lab diamond: which tennis chain should you choose?Hardness, sparkle and certificate: three stones for a tennis chain compared.
What is the best moissanite jewelry?What to look for in moissanite: clarity, color, finish and hardness.
Moissanite vs. diamond: which stud earrings should you choose?Price, sparkle and hardness: moissanite and diamond compared as studs.
Studs for men: 5 mm round, 7.5 mm square or haloWhich shape stands out most from two meters (about 6 ft) away, and what is really inside.
White gold or rose gold pavé: what the setting does to the stoneHow the color of the metal around a pavé stone decides how white it looks.
Pendants and clover
A pendant is a second purchase on top of the chain. Here's how to make it hang straight.
Compass pendant and chain: which link carries it best?Which link keeps a round pendant straight, and which width and length go with it.
Clover pendant: what you need with it and which stone is set in itWhich chain carries a pendant of 2.1 by 3.8 cm (0.8 by 1.5 in), and which stone is set in it.
Clover bracelet: black or iced out with cubic zirconiaSame shape, opposite effect: a black clover that absorbs light, or stones that throw it back.
Materials and care
What gold plated, stainless steel and 925 silver mean, and how to keep them looking good.
18K gold plated over 925 silver: what the layer does and doesn't doWhat gold plating means for wear, and how it compares to steel.
Which gold plated rope chain suits you?The gold plated rope chain in 1.5, 2.8 and 3.8 mm: which width suits you.
How to clean silver jewelry: what works and what ruins itWhy silver turns black, how foil and baking soda fix it in two minutes, and what ruins your jewelry.
Styling and trends
How to combine and layer, and what is shifting this year.
Men's jewelry trends for 2027What is shifting: the king link, solid 925 silver, slimmer plated chains and wider iced out pieces.
The best men's jewelry trends of 2026Widths, lengths and materials, with the 4 cm (1.5 in) rule for layering.
How to style a tennis chain: width, length and layeringWidths from 3 to 12 mm, the 10 cm (4 in) rule for layering and when to take it off.
Building a Cuban set: chain, bracelet and ring in the same styleWhy a set comes together through its finish, not through matching widths.
Still unsure about your size? Every measurement is in the size guide. If you already know what you want, go straight to necklaces, bracelets or jewelry for him.