Diamonds are rightfully considered one of the favorite materials for high-end jewelry. The jewelry with diamonds is the unmistakable marker of status, wealth, and exquisite taste. The leading role among necklaces is given to the diamond chains. It’s the piece that will definitely manage to spice any look!
There are chains that go exceptionally well with diamonds, creating unique combinations that are ready to conquer the hearts of jewelry enthusiasts. Let’s take a look at the most popular styles of men’s diamond chains that are practical yet iconic.
The cable link chain
The Cable link chain may be considered the most basic style. Its design is as simple as the chain could possibly be. In fact, it’s the first style that comes to mind when you hear the word “chain”. It is made of identical round or oval links that are connected with each other. This construction makes the necklace simple looking but the most recognizable of all chains. A Cable link chain is also a very practical type of necklace, as not being the strongest one it is among the easiest to make and, as a result, the easiest to fix if it gets damaged.
The simplicity of the cable link chain makes it easy to style, adding trickier pendants, and combining with other jewelry and outfit, complete with layers of other chains. It’s hard to think of the outfit with which the necklace would look inappropriate.
A diamond cable link chain is able to unobtrusively highlight the advantages of the wearer, adding elegance and glamor, especially in a duet with the diamond pendant or medallion.
The Cuban link chain
The Cuban link chain is historically the favorite style of the rappers. It entered mainstream fashion directly from the hip-hop looks of the 70s. Originally possessing quite a chunky appearance the chain grew with time, reaching tremendous sizes and weights. The pattern of a Cuban link chain consists of flat twisted oval links, which results in immense durability and strength of the necklace. Apart from looking impressive, this statement necklace also has another important bling jewelry quality. The polished links of the Cuban chain add a dazzling brilliance to the jewelry, guaranteeing that it will be spotted from afar.
The desire to show off the status and richness among the rappers often resulted in adding pounds of iced-out pendants to the Cuban chain, and they proved to be reliable enough to endure them. Soon, the Cuban link chain itself became fully iced out, completing its evolution of high-end jewelry.
Now the jewelry icon of hip-hop fashion is available not only to the celebs. A diamond Cuban link chain is popular among people who value luxury and glamour. This jewelry piece is ready to make a loud statement about its owner’s sense of style.
Franco chain
Franco chain shares family ties with the Cuban chain, as the jeweler who invented the Franco style and gave it his name was inspired by the design of the Cuban necklace. The V-shaped chevron links have four sides which result in two different patterns of the Franco chain. The distinctive V-pattern is visible from one side; the other side shows the design that looks a lot like Cuban.
The Franco necklace itself has two variations – the classic one and the rounded one. While the classic Franco chain has more sharp angles with vivid geometry, the rounded design possesses a milder streamlined shape. Such versatility of the appearance within one style makes the chain an intricate and extravagant piece of jewelry. No wonder that Franco chain becomes even more sophisticated when iced out with diamonds.
The links in the Franco chain are connected in such a way that it ensures not only the strength of the chain but also its tangle resistance. The necklace is reliable enough to wear every day, perfect for different outfits, and easy to maintain. Diamond Franco chain for men emphasizes strength and sensuality, making this necklace popular for several decades already.
The Mariner link chain
The Mariner link chain is a modern classic of chain necklaces. Made after a heavy-duty chain used for holding anchors, it is sometimes called the Anchor chain. Its other name has more relation to fashion, as it may also be known as the Gucci chain. Its pattern displays oval links with a single vertical bar inside. It provides incredible durability of the chain along with its chunky but intricate look. The construction of the chain makes it rather unlikely to get damaged, deformed, or tangled.
The design of the Mariner chain combines concepts that may be considered the opposite. Thus, it looks hefty, remaining elegant; masculine, but sophisticated; bold, but stylish. The Mariner chain provides a great room for creativity when it comes to diamonds. It inspires fancy images with various colors of gems, ensuring expensive extravagant looks.
The diamond Mariner chain is a great option for heavy pendants, the layered chain looks like a solo piece of jewelry.
Tennis necklace
The style of chain which simply can’t exist without diamonds is a Tennis necklace. It features a single strand or sometimes a few strands of diamonds. It may also be known under the name of the Eternity necklace. Originally, it wasn’t created as a necklace. It’s a rare occasion when the bracelet was turned into the necklace, instead of vice versa. Its name was the jewelry gained when a famous tennis player Chris Evert lost her diamond bracelet at the US Open in 1987. She refused to continue the match until her, as she called it, “tennis bracelet” was found. The simple yet eye-catching jewelry became so popular that it created a demand for the matching necklace.
The diamond tennis necklace is usually not very long and worn closer to the neck. It is a bright example of simple elegance and grace that proves that real beauty requires nothing extra. Though the variations with black diamonds do look really stunning.
All those diamond chain necklaces are true works of jewelry art, but they do have their value. And, as expected, this value comes in general from the materials used in the jewelry, its design, and the brand name.
The chain’s price includes the cost of the diamonds and the metal it is made of. For the high-end diamond chains, the most frequent options of metals are gold, sterling silver, and stainless steel. As to gold, the choice is usually made in favor of 14k or 18k purity.
The value of the diamonds is considered according to the high standards of the 4Cs –color, clarity, carat weight, and cut.
The range of the diamonds’ color is marked from D to Z with very clear definitions of each category, where D is classified as a colorless diamond with the highest value, and Z possesses a yellow or brown very noticeable tint. Everything that is in between has little distinctions for the unaided eye, noticeable by the experts or only in comparison with the diamonds of other categories. This scale doesn’t include rare fancy colored diamonds such as green, blue, or red, they are considered more valuable.
The clarity of the diamonds is also classified according to a strict scale, from flawless to those with obvious inclusions in the stone. If the diamond has no inclusions in it or is very slightly included, its value and price is higher than the one of a diamond with visible undesirable inclusions.
The carat weight is probably the most famous criterion, known by many. It is the weight of the diamond. It’s useful to know that 1 carat equals 200 milligrams.
The last thing that should be taken into account and that impacts the price of the diamond is the skill of the jeweler. It may be seen in the cut of the stone, where the arrangement of the facets should interact in the right way with the light. The round brilliant diamond cut is the most famous and complicated one and is known to be quite expensive.
We made it easier for you to choose the best diamond chain, all you need to do is to style it according to your outfit to spice your look.
