Tips to Buying a Gold Chain Online
You shop at an online jewelry store for the purpose of buying a gold chain. Do you know what you are looking for, or looking at, for that matter? Here are some tips that will help you be more knowledgeable about your next gold chain purchase.
The Gold in the Chain
Let’s start with the gold. Pure gold, as you may know, is 24k. A karat is simply a measure of purity. You won’t see any 24k gold chains, though. Gold is so soft that without mixing it with other metals, it would soon be nicked and bent out of shape. The result of this mixing is called an alloy. So, you can buy a 10k, 14k and all the way up to 22k gold chain.
The higher the karat, the more you will pay, so if two pieces look almost the same to you, why pay more? An added benefit of a lower karat such as 10K or 14K is that they will be very durable because of the relative hardness of the alloy
The Weight of the Chain
In general, if the piece is solid gold, it will feel heavy, no matter what the karat; if it’s hollow, not so heavy.
Metal weighs more than air, right?
The Links
Check the links to make sure they are durable. The design of the links will make a difference too. Some links, although they look elegant, are known to cause problems. Stay away from herringbone and omega chains if you are planning to wear the piece every day, because they kink readily.
Also make sure the thickness of the chain suits your purposes.
The best chains for everyday wear are wheat, box and rope designs.
Also very sturdy are curb, anchor, Figaro and rope chains. Looking at these choices with common sense will help you choose the appropriate design.
The Clasp is Important
Round, spring loaded clasps used to be very popular and are still used on less expensive jewelry.
More popular now is the lobster clasp, which is sturdier and breaks less easily.
Smoothness
Often overlooked, this characteristic is important, because you don’t want your clothing to catch on a rough place on the chain. The result will probably be a snagged piece of clothing, or even a lost chain if breakage occurs. These imperfections can also cause your skin to be irritated.
In general, inspect the chain carefully by sight and also by touch, for the best results.
Are You Allergic to Nickel?
One last thing. Nickel causes a skin rash in susceptible people. If you suspect you are allergic to the metal, stay away from lower karat gold, because it is often alloyed with nickel. A higher karat piece will have less, or perhaps no, nickel.
You can also request a nickel-free chain if your allergy is substantial. Or at the very least, check on the return policy of the seller.
Now you are much more knowledgeable when buying gold jewelry. Your jewelry will give you much enjoyment over the years, so choose it carefully.
