Necklace Lengths: A Complete Guide

The standard lengths

Chains are made in a small set of standard lengths, and the jewellery trade uses traditional names for the bands they fall into. The positions below are for an average adult woman. Use them as a starting point rather than a promise.

Lengths longer than about 36 inches are usually called rope necklaces. They are often worn wrapped twice or knotted.

Why the same length sits differently

A chart can only describe an average. Four things move a necklace up or down on a real person.

• Neck size. A chain has to go around the neck before it can hang. The thicker the neck, the less chain is left to drop, so the necklace sits higher.
• Build and height. Broader shoulders and a fuller chest take up length. On a petite frame the same chain falls lower.
• The pendant. A pendant hangs below the lowest point of the chain by its own height plus the loop it hangs from. A large pendant on an 18-inch chain can sit where a 20-inch chain would.
• The chain itself. Heavier chains hang straighter and slightly lower. Fine chains settle closer to the body.

How to measure

Measure a necklace you already own

1. Open the clasp and lay the necklace flat in a straight line.
2. Measure from the end of the clasp to the end of the ring it fastens into.
3. Ignore any pendant. Necklace length is the chain and clasp only.

This is the most reliable method, because you already know how that necklace sits on you.

Measure with a piece of string

1. Hang a piece of string or thread around your neck.
2. Hold the two ends together at the back and let the front fall to where you want the necklace to sit. Check in a mirror.
3. Mark the string where the ends meet, then lay it flat and measure it.
4. Choose the nearest standard length. If you are between two, the longer one is usually the more comfortable.

Measuring for a choker

Measure around the neck where the choker will sit. A chain the same length as the neck will feel tight. Most people find a choker comfortable at 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) more than their neck measurement.

Choosing a length for a neckline

A good rule is that a necklace should either sit clearly above a neckline or clearly below it. A chain that lands on the edge of the fabric tends to look accidental.

Necklace lengths for men

Men generally wear longer chains because the neck and shoulders are usually broader. On an average adult man:

• 18 inches (45 cm) sits close around the base of the neck, much like a choker.
• 20 inches (51 cm) sits at the collarbone. It is the most common choice to wear under or over an open collar.
• 22 inches (56 cm) sits a little below the collarbone.
• 24 inches (61 cm) sits on the upper chest and is a common length for pendants and religious medals.

Necklace lengths for children

For older children, measure rather than going by age, because children of the same age vary a great deal. As a rough guide, children's necklaces are usually between 12 and 16 inches (30 to 40 cm), with the shorter end for younger children and 16 inches for teenagers. A chain that sits around the base of the neck is less likely to catch than one that hangs low on the chest.

Lengths for layering

Layered necklaces look intentional when each chain has room to show. The usual rule is to leave about 2 inches (5 cm) between each length, for example 16, 18 and 20 inches.

• Put the finest, plainest chain at the top and the heaviest or longest at the bottom.
• Mix chain styles or pendant sizes so each layer reads separately.
• Wear each pendant on a different length so they do not sit on top of each other.
• Layered chains tangle. A multi-strand clasp, or fastening each chain a moment apart, helps.

Extenders and adjustable chains

An extender is a short length of chain, usually 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.5 cm), fixed near the clasp. It lets one necklace be worn at more than one length. A chain sold as "18 inches with a 2-inch extender" can be worn at any length from 18 to 20 inches.

Some chains use a sliding bead instead, which can be fastened anywhere along the chain. Both are useful when buying as a gift, or when you want to wear the same necklace with different necklines.