A gold chain is a piece of jewelry that shows a person’s wealth and style. But not every buyer knows how to choose a chain and decide on the weaving. First, remember that all chains differ from each other according to the following criteria:
- Decoration length. Size options - from 40 to 70 cm. This determines at what level the chain will hang and whether it will be visible from under clothes.
- Type of weaving (anchor, armor, “Rombeau”, “Figaro”, “Bismarck”, etc.). There are about fifty configurations.
- Weaving method (machine, hand, stamped). The manual method is the work of a jeweler. The chain will cost more and will not look as perfect. But you will end up with a unique product. The cost of the chain will depend not only on the weight and material, but also on the type of weaving.
Classic armor weave
The type of chain will depend on these signs. The material from which the jewelry is made is suitable for absolutely any price category. It can be either gold, silver or other alloys with different coatings and shades. The main thing is to combine all the products and, if possible, choose the same type of set, which includes both a chain and a bracelet. They look beautiful and stylish if they are made of the same material and in the same weave.
Of course, the most banal and easiest weaving is anchor weaving. Its essence is to connect several links together so that they are at right angles to each other. It looks like an anchor chain, which is why it got the corresponding name. During the same period, armor weaving also appeared. Some jewelers classify it as a type of anchor stone. But many are distinguished separately by external signs.
Historically, knights and warriors wove chain mail from metal. They protected men from injury during battles, and also lay comfortably on the body and did not stab. The metal rings were interlocked with each other, but not at a right angle, but as if slightly cramped for the convenience of wearing chain mail. And soon jewelers noticed this technique and began making chains in a similar way. Moreover, armored weave models are suitable for both men and women.
Types of chain weaving. Which one to choose?
"Nonna"
somewhat reminiscent of a “diamond”, but unlike it, the links of the “nonna” are not the same in size. Most often, “nonna” is double: when small rounded diamond-ovals are enclosed inside large ones. Krastsvetmet also produces a single version: in this case, large links are connected to small ones one after another, creating a light and airy weave.
Love/s
- a chain whose links resemble the shape of a heart. This airy and feminine weave is suitable for creating a romantic look. You can also give a “love/s” chain to your lover or daughter, telling with this gesture about the ardor or constancy of feelings.
"Figaro"
- a combination of long links with short ones. Figaro has several varieties, depending on the number of short links located between the long ones, and vice versa. Thanks to this alternation, you can choose the most suitable character of the chain even within one type of weaving: “figaro” can be either airy (such as the 3+1 variety), or reminiscent of twisted chains (1+1), or similar to a cord with “ knocked out" links (4 or 5 short links in a row).
"Ochio di Pernice"
- seemingly complex - openwork - weaving, and at the same time continuing the principle of connecting links, like a “diamond”. Other names for weaving: “panther eye”, “eagle eye” or “bird eye” (translated from the original from Italian - “partridge eye”), which two adjacent links in the chain are really similar to.
"Lumakina"
- armored weaving of links twisted inward and between each other. From a distance, the links look like mollusk shells, which is why “lumakina” has a second name - “snail”. The memorable design is good on its own, so it does not require a pendant, but with it it will create a winning pair.
"Tsar"
- armor weaving in two rows, in which the links are arranged in a checkerboard pattern. Tsar weave chains look both masculine and simple, so they can serve as an alternative to another favorite men’s weave, Bismarck weave. In addition, women often choose the “king” for themselves: a wide chain contrastsly emphasizes femininity and fragility.
"Singapore"
- one of the most famous and popular weaves, which allows you to create a chain with a particularly bright shine. Links of the same size in "Singapore" are intertwined into a twisted chain and complemented by diamond cutting. In Krastsvetmet chains, the turn is made often: such processing turns even the most modest decoration in width into a catchy accent. Despite the apparent decorative effect, Singapore chains can be worn with a pendant.
"Serpentina"
- weaving from flat links, which is based on “gurmet”. reminiscent of waves or Greek ornament. Despite the fact that “serpentine” has a bright, recognizable pattern, it can be worn with a pendant.
Advantages of chains
Such a chain fits nicely on the body due to the fact that the links, forming a figure eight shape, are in the same plane. It does not protrude in volume, so it will not bulge out of clothes; it can be worn even under sweaters and blouses. Therefore, armored chain weaving is considered an improved anchor form.
A chain made of armored weave can be worn as an independent decoration. It is not necessary to select a pendant or pendant for it. Moreover, since armor weaving is most often dense, that is, the chain turns out to be a wide, massive shape, the size of the pendant must be appropriate. It’s better to choose more massive options that won’t get lost against the background of the chain, or wear the chain just like that, especially if a diamond cut has been added to the links for beauty.
Armor weaving is more suitable for older age groups who want their financial well-being to be appreciated. For men, it is better to choose a massive model of medium length. Short chains of 40 centimeters will fit tightly around the neck. Women can also choose medium-sized models, and take a smaller thickness of chain knitting than for men.
Master class: manual production of an “armored” chain
I decided to share my recently acquired experience in hand-weaving chains. This type of weaving in Czech is called “Pancr” (in Russian it is approximately the same as “Armor”) and is included in the compulsory program at the jewelry college where I am currently studying. All the photographs were taken there, which, by the way, is a gross violation of safety regulations, but what can’t you do for the sake of a beautiful photograph, especially when you have someone to brag to? 
For work I needed:
— silver 17 grams (the finished product turned out to be 13 grams), plus a finished lock;
- soldering kit: torch, refractory board, solder, flux (I used liquid Fluoron), bleach;
— rollers, a vice, large pliers for broaching, flanges (2 pliers, they are convenient for manipulating rings), a 3 mm diameter knitting needle, a special tool for winding rings, brass wire, a wooden board, a file, sandpaper.
It took two school days (approximately 9 hours) to make the bracelet.
So let's get started!
For this task, I received a ready-made square section made of 925 sterling silver, this one weighed 17 grams, 4*4mm.
According to the instructions, it is necessary to make rolled products with a cross section of 1.6 * 1.6 mm. This is done in rollers. During rolling, the metal becomes hard (hardened), so it must be periodically annealed (heated until red with a burner).
Now you need to make a round one from a square section. The wire should be 1.3 mm thick. This is done in dies.
In order to be able to stretch the wire into these holes, you need to grind off the metal onto a cone at the end of the workpiece.
Next, you need to lubricate the workpiece with wax and, using pliers, pull it through each hole until we obtain the required thickness.
And we pull...
And we pull, not forgetting to periodically anneal the wire.
The resulting wire must be wound on a steel blank (knitting needle) with a diameter of 3 mm.
At school we use this fun tool to wind wire evenly.
The finished bracelet should be approximately 19 cm long. For this you will need 63 rings, and a few more in reserve.
Now you need to saw the wound wire to make separate rings (goodbye to the pads of your thumb and index finger).
Then I divided the rings in half, one half will need to be soldered, the other left as is.
The main preparations are done.
Next, the two soldered rings need to be connected unsoldered, that is, make a “three” and then solder this unsoldered ring. It turned out to be butter, but I don’t know how to say it differently
Then from the “threes” make “7” in the same way, then “15”, “31” and finally “63”.
Up to this point, all the actions were simple and did not require much effort or skill and took me about 4 hours, given that I was in no hurry. At school, no one is in a hurry at all, everything is done slowly and carefully, because if you mess it up, then firstly, you will have to do it all over again, and secondly, make it out of brass, not silver
Now comes the hard part - scrolling.
It is necessary to secure the soldered chain in the rollers using rolled brass (probably another metal is also possible, but at school we use brass).
You also need to thread a piece of rolled brass through the other end of the chain. It is important to straighten all the rings so that all seams (sea joints in the rings) are in the same direction and inside.
And now I started using pliers to twist the chain clockwise. The chain must be taut. You need to twist until it becomes smooth and flat.
As the silver is deformed, it hardens; do not forget to anneal it. Also, during tension and torsion, the rings can break. They need to be soldered carefully, without overdoing it with solder. I’ve torn 6 times, but I did it for the first time, so it’s goodbye, the pros, of course, won’t tear anything
This event (twisting) took me 4 hours. Again, this twisting took so long because at first, nothing worked for me, the rings tore, the pincers pulled out, and I got frustrated, gave up and did something else.
You need to stop twisting the chain when it becomes flat, and when it hangs freely, it will not twist. Now you can send the chain to the bleach.
After the chain is straightened, it needs to be pulled onto a board, then with a file and sandpaper to remove excess metal (to make such platforms) on both sides and give the chain a finished look.
Then I attached the locks, polished them, handed them over to the teacher, received a grade and... two days of work were spent on remelting
End!
Thank you for watching
Gold chains, armored weaving
Today it is very easy to choose something beautiful for yourself or as a gift from a photo catalog in an online store. If you are satisfied with the product, you can check availability or order delivery of the product to a conveniently located jewelry store
Abundance of choice - that's the secret
The main thing in jewelry is variety. Some girls are conservative in their preferences: they rarely change their appearance and remain faithful to the things they have chosen once. And they try to choose jewelry in the same style: only their favorite precious stones, similar shapes of products, always the same color scheme.
Others love to change: their wardrobe has clothes for every occasion and every possible style. It's the same with jewelry. Such a girl’s jewelry box will contain anything: from a sports bracelet made of silicone and silver to vintage earrings with large rubies inherited from her grandmother, and a laconic diamond ring given by the groom.
Jewelry fashion is a look into the future
Modern jewelry is not always just gold, silver or platinum. Designers come up with completely unusual products where natural stones are harmoniously integrated into a ceramic base made in the shape of an animal and a flower. When working with ceramics, fashion designers are also drawn to simple geometric shapes with their clean lines.
The Jeweler-Karat product catalog presents chains in the form of strands of colored silicone, leather and satin cords. All accessories for such chains are made of precious metals of the highest standard, and expensive stones are used as decoration, for example, diamonds, sapphires, rubies.
Decorative inserts can also be different: the gold base can be decorated with an element made of valuable wood, earrings made of high-quality silver can be decorated with inserts of extraordinary beauty of glass with shimmer and play of light in the edges.
Perfect decoration
Of course, the decoration must have a special quality - it must be liked by its owner. This is the main rule, without which the decoration will cease to fulfill its function!
There are several other important requirements:
- Quality and technique of execution;
- High quality materials (sample);
- Delicacy of jewelry work;
- Original design and the ability to choose a complete set, including earrings, ring, chain, pendant and bracelet;
- Convenience of the model.
In the Jeweler-Karat network, you can easily select and buy any piece of jewelry either in stock in the company store or to order from a warehouse. To do this, we tried to make the jewelry catalog as convenient as possible and with high-quality photographs.
Advantages
The classic armored chain has 5 important advantages:
- Ease of manufacture. Even a novice craftsman can make chains with such weaving. They are found in the assortment of almost all manufacturers - both domestic and foreign.
- Flexibility. The armored chain of classical weaving is not inclined to break: during movement, the links turn in any desired direction. You can leave it on at night and wear it all the time without feeling any discomfort.
- Flat shape. Unlike the “anchor”, the armored chain is not bulky: it can be worn discreetly under clothing. It is perfect for a pectoral cross or amulet.
- Strength. Due to the dense arrangement of the links, the armored chain can withstand significant mechanical loads.
- Compatibility. The armored chain consists of links of the same shape and size, so it is ideal as an addition to a pendant or pendant. It will serve as a neutral background and will not contrast with the main product.
Manufacturing technique
Armor weaving is a natural evolution of anchor weaving: the links are also sequentially inserted into each other. However, they are not located perpendicularly, but at an angle to each other, which allows the product to be aligned in a plane. The links are additionally polished, which gives the jewelry an even more presentable appearance. The diamond cutting technique is often used.
Classic armor weaving became widespread in the early Middle Ages, and even earlier. It was found that it is optimal for making chain mail, which is where the second name for this technique came from - chain mail.
The chain mail woven in this way was comfortable and as light as possible (for those technologies), and the rings fitted to each other in a plane did not rub the skin as much and were better able to withstand blows from piercing weapons.
Modern gold chains of armor weave are made in various ways:
- Manually. This is how exclusive chains are made to order. The master weaves the chain by hand, soldering each link. The weight of such a product is from 6 grams and above.
- Machine knitting. Conventional armor weaving is quite simple, so it can also be done by machine, from ready-made skeins of jewelry wire.
- Stamping. Chains are made from ready-made links-stamps, which are inserted into each other sequentially, without soldering. The links are cut from the workpiece.
Craftsmen who weave chains are called chain weavers. Tsepovyaz carefully monitors the quality of each link. Hand-woven chains are considered the highest quality and strongest.
Chains with very voluminous links are often made “blown”, that is, hollow. This allows you to reduce the weight and cost of the product without losing the presentability of the exterior.
An armored chain made of silver is an excellent option for a man: it looks discreet and respectable. Women's options are usually more elegant and delicate, but this is not a fact: everything depends on the trends of a capricious lady named Fashion.
Advantages and disadvantages
There are many factors that can sway the choice in favor of a chain of armored weaving. The main ones are:
- Wide compatibility. Classic armored weaving does not impose any special requirements on the wearer - it can be combined with any city bow. For special occasions, it is better to choose more massive or openwork options, depending on the image.
- Can be worn with a pendant. Laconic models go well with pendants, changing which you can add special zest to your current outfits.
- Maintainability. The simpler the weave, the easier it is to adjust it to length or repair it if it breaks.
- Easy to care for. Cleaning such a chain at home is much easier than, for example, an intricate Byzantium.
- Strength. A high-quality chain will serve more than one generation of owners.
And there are simply no downsides to armor weaving, especially if it was touched by the hand of a real Master!
Source
Armored chain weaving is an eternal classic
Armored chain weaving is probably the most popular these days. In this way, not only neck chains are woven, but also bracelets (including for watches), earrings, elements of brooches and hairpins.
Costume jewelry made using this technique is widespread, but the armor-like weaving of a gold chain still serves as an indicator of the good taste and well-being of the owner. These chains look great in silver, either in combination with pendants or in proud, shining isolation.
