King's Chain Gold Stainless Steel (4mm)

King's Chain Gold Stainless Steel (4mm): The Full Weave, Just a Little Finer

The king's link is built from small links that interlock layer by layer, creating a dense strand that looks the same from every side. That is why a king's chain does not twist out of line, and the pattern stays visible however it falls. At 4mm it keeps that full weave but sits calmer around the neck than the 5mm. In gold-tone stainless steel you get that classic look for a fraction of the price of solid gold.

Product details

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

• Width: 4mm

• Lengths: 50, 55, 65 and 75 cm

• Clasp: lobster clasp

• Delivered in a Carpe Ice jewelry box

4mm or 5mm?

The weave and the finish are the same; only the width differs. Choose the gold king's chain in 5mm if you want the chain to tell the story on its own. This 4mm is finer and lighter, which makes it easier to combine: under a shirt, with a pendant or layered with a second chain. On a narrower neck 4mm also stays better in proportion. If you want something finer still in precious metal, there is the 18K gold plated king's chain in 2.5mm. All widths sit side by side in the king's link chains collection.

Which Length Suits You?

For most wearers 55 cm (22 in) is the safest choice: it falls just below the collarbone and sits well over a T-shirt. Choose 50 cm (20 in) if you want it closer to the collar. 65 and 75 cm (26 and 30 in) hang on the chest and are the lengths for a pendant or for wearing over clothing. If you want to work out where a length falls on your own body, use the rule of thumb behind chain length.

Five Layers of PVD, Not Standard Gold Plating

PVD stands for physical vapor deposition. The gold color is bonded to the steel at molecular level inside a vacuum chamber rather than electroplated on top, and that makes the finish noticeably harder and more scratch-resistant than a standard plated layer. At Carpe Ice that happens in five layers. It is not solid gold, so under heavy friction the color can thin over time. Take it off before the pool, the shower and sport and store it dry, and the color stays even for longer. The silver-tone version is bare steel with no layer and can stay on.

Layering and Combining

At 4mm this chain leaves room for a second one. Combine it with the 5mm or with the gold Byzantine chain in 6mm and keep at least 10 cm difference in length, so they do not catch on each other. If you wear it with a pendant, measure the inside of the bail: it has to fit over a 4mm link. The gold king's link bracelet completes the set.