Box Chain Gold Stainless Steel (2mm & 3mm)

Box Chain Gold Stainless Steel (2mm & 3mm) With Square Links That Do Not Twist

The box link is made of square blocks that close tightly into one another. That gives you two things other fine chains lack: it is strong for its width and it barely twists, so a pendant keeps facing forward instead of turning away. The base is stainless steel with a gold-tone finish applied in five layers of PVD.

Product details

• Material: stainless steel with a 5x PVD gold-tone finish

• Widths: 2mm and 3mm

• Lengths: 45, 50 and 55 cm

• Clasp: lobster clasp

• Delivered in a Carpe Ice jewellery box

The Best Base for a Pendant

On a round or woven link the chain turns with your movements, and then a pendant hangs crooked or backwards within half an hour. The square box link has four flat sides and therefore does not roll. On top of that, the closed construction is stronger than an open link of the same thickness, which at 2mm is the difference between a chain you dare to wear and one you save. In gold there is something else to add: a gold pendant asks for a gold chain, because mixed tones read as unintended rather than deliberate.

Five Layers of PVD, Not Standard Gold Plating

PVD stands for physical vapour deposition. The gold colour is bonded to the steel at molecular level inside a vacuum chamber rather than laid on galvanically, at Carpe Ice in five layers. That makes the finish noticeably harder and more scratch-resistant than a standard plated layer, the same technique watch brands use for gold-tone cases. On a box chain it pays off in its own way, because this is the chain people actually hang something from: the bail of a pendant rubs over the same few links every day. A box link is also smooth and patternless, so there is no structure for a scratch to disappear into. It is not solid gold, so take it off before the pool, the shower and sport, and store it dry. The silver-tone version is bare steel with no layer and can stay on; this gold-tone one has a PVD layer, so that one comes off.

2mm or 3mm

The 2mm is the classic pendant chain: it does not draw attention and lets the pendant do the work. The 3mm is heavier and can also be worn alone without looking thin. If you wear a larger pendant, choose the 3mm, because a heavy pendant on too fine a chain pulls the line out of shape and loads the clasp.

Work Your Length Back From the Pendant

A pendant adds its own height to the lowest point of the chain: a 4 cm pendant on a 50 cm chain finishes where a bare 58 cm chain would end. So decide first where you want to see the piece and count back from there. Worn without a pendant, 50 cm is the length that suits most necks, 45 is the choice if you want it high above a collar, and 55 cm falls free on the chest.

Care

Take the chain off before the pool, the shower and the gym, and put it on once fragrance or aftershave has dried. On a box link dirt sits in the seams between the blocks and that is what dulls the shine; lukewarm water, mild soap and a soft toothbrush will lift it out. Dry it afterwards with a soft cloth and do not use a polishing cloth.

Styling

This chain is meant as a carrier, so let the pendant lead and keep the chain narrower than whatever hangs from it. If you layer with a second chain, leave at least 10 cm difference in length and choose a clearly broader link type beside it, so the box stays the fine layer. Keep your other jewellery in the same gold tone.