Gold chains South Africa

Part of the gold jewellery collection at Aria Jewellery. Solid 9ct and 18ct gold chains and gold necklaces, made to be worn every day rather than kept for occasions.

There are 58 pieces here, from personalised necklaces under R1,000 to an 18ct curb chain at R215,850. Every gold chain in this collection is solid gold, hallmarked, and never plated. That distinction is the whole point. A plated chain looks correct for a few months and then wears back to base metal at the clasp and the back of the neck, and it cannot be repaired. Solid gold can be cleaned, shortened, lengthened and repaired for as long as you own it, which in practice means for as long as you live.

A gold chain is also the one piece of jewellery that keeps a resale floor under it, because you are buying metal by weight. That is why the same style costs three times more at 5mm than at 2mm, and why price differences between jewellers usually come down to gauge rather than markup.

Gold chain prices by style

Price follows weight. A 7.5mm figaro uses roughly four times the gold of a 2mm chain in the same length, which is why one collection spans this range. Every price below is the starting price for that chain.

Style	How it wears	From
Infinity chain, 1.75mm	Fine and light, the least expensive way into solid gold	R5,595
Anchor chain, 1.3mm and 1.8mm	A bar across each oval link. Delicate, and stronger than it looks	R6,295
Rope chain	Twisted strands that catch light from every angle. Looks heavier than it is	R9,790
Paper clip chain, 2.3mm	Long elongated links. The most current style, and the easiest to layer	R11,520
Singapore chain, 2.5mm	A fine twist that sparkles at low weight. Suits a small pendant	R12,990
Snake or herringbone chain	Flat plates forming one smooth surface. Lies completely flat on the skin	R15,990
Marina curb chain, 2.6mm	A curb link with a bar through it. More detail than a plain curb	R18,250
Belcher chain	Round open links. The classic South African gold chain, and the safest for a heavy pendant	R18,990
Curb chain, 3mm	Flattened interlocking links that lie flat. The strongest everyday chain	R19,790
Figaro chain, 4.4mm	Two short links then one long. The most requested men’s style in the country	R20,990
Figaro chain, 5.2mm	The same pattern with real presence on the neck	R27,520
Gucci link chain	A flat mariner link with a sharp modern edge. Unisex and hard to miss	R32,990
Thick rope chain, 5mm	A statement chain with the weight to match	R36,900
Rolo chain, 5mm	Even round links, substantial without shouting	R38,650
Mixed link necklace, 45cm	Alternating link shapes in one chain. A designer piece rather than a plain chain	R47,520
Figaro chain, 7.5mm	Heavy figaro for a broader frame	R49,250
Mens rope chain, 5mm	The men’s rope, cut heavier and longer	R49,650
Figaro chain, 6.2mm	Solid 9ct at serious weight. Ordered rather than impulse bought	R77,890
Hollow 18ct curb chain, 8.2mm	The widest chain here, hollow so the weight stays wearable	R215,850

Every chain above comes in more than one length, and several come in more than one width. If the width you want is not listed, it can usually be made, so ask before you settle for the closest option.

9ct, 14ct and 18ct gold

Carat measures how much of the metal is pure gold. It does not measure quality, and higher is not automatically better for a chain.

	9ct gold	14ct gold	18ct gold
Pure gold content	37.5%	58.5%	75%
Hallmark	375	585	750
Colour	Lighter, cooler yellow	Mid yellow	Deep, rich yellow
Hardness	Hardest of the three, takes knocks best	Middle	Softest, marks and stretches more easily
Price for the same weight	Lowest	Middle	Highest
Best for	A chain worn every day	A middle ground	Colour, and heavier statement pieces

Most of this collection is 9ct, and for a chain that is the right call. A chain flexes with every movement of your neck, so the harder alloy holds its shape and resists stretching at the links. Choose 18ct when the depth of colour matters more than the hardness, or when the piece is heavy enough that gauge does the work instead.

Yellow, white and rose gold

All three are the same gold content with different metals mixed in, so they cost the same at the same carat and weight. Choose on colour alone.

Metal	How it reads	Worth knowing
Yellow gold	The traditional choice, and the one that reads as gold from across a room	Hides everyday wear better than the other two
White gold	Cool and modern, and it sits well next to silver and platinum	Rhodium plated for brightness, so it needs replating every few years
Rose gold	Warm and soft, from the copper in the alloy	The hardest of the three, which suits a fine chain

Mixing metals is fine and looks deliberate when you repeat it, for example a white gold chain with a yellow gold pendant echoed by a two tone ring. If you would rather not mix, keep the chain in whatever metal she already wears on her hands.

Solid and hollow gold chains

A solid chain is gold all the way through. A hollow chain has a thin wall of gold around an empty core, which is how a very wide chain stays both wearable and affordable. The 8.2mm 18ct curb chain on this page is hollow for exactly that reason, and at 8.2mm in solid 18ct it would be unwearably heavy and cost several times more.

The trade off is repairability. A hollow link dents if it is caught, and once it splits it is difficult to repair invisibly. A solid link can be opened, soldered and re-polished. If you want a wide chain, hollow is the sensible route. If you want a chain you will hand down, buy solid and buy narrower.

What actually decides the price

Three things, in this order. Weight, which is width multiplied by length, and it is the largest factor by far. Carat, because 18ct holds twice the pure gold of 9ct. Then construction, because a handmade or unusual link takes more work than a machine made curb.

The gold price itself moves daily on international markets, so chains are repriced more often than any other jewellery category. A quote on a heavy chain is valid for a period rather than indefinitely, and that is normal at any jeweller.

What this means practically is simple. If your budget is fixed, decide between a narrower chain in a heavier carat or a wider chain in 9ct. You cannot have both, and the wider 9ct chain will almost always look better on the neck.

Choosing a width

Width	Feel	Wears well with
1mm to 2mm	Fine and delicate, easy to forget you have it on	A small pendant, or layered under wider chains
2mm to 3mm	Clearly visible and comfortable all day	Worn alone, or carrying most pendants
3mm to 5mm	Substantial with real weight	A statement on its own, and the usual men’s range
Above 5mm	Unmistakable, and priced accordingly	Worn alone, with a strong clasp to match

Match the chain to the pendant rather than the other way around. A heavy pendant on a 1mm chain wears through the bail and eventually breaks, usually without you noticing until it is gone.

Getting the length right

Hold a piece of string where you want the chain to sit, then measure it against a ruler in centimetres. Chains are sold in centimetres in South Africa, not inches.

Length	Where it sits	Who it suits
40cm	High on the neck, close to a choker	Layering, and open necklines
45cm	Just below the collarbone	The standard women’s length, and the best length for a pendant
50cm	Top of the chest	A longer, more relaxed look
55cm	Base of the neck	The standard men’s length
60cm and over	On the chest	A broader frame, or a chain worn over a jumper

Most chains here can be shortened or lengthened before they ship. Say what you need when you order and it gets adjusted rather than sent as listed.

Gold chains for men

Men buy on width more than style, and the useful range starts around 3mm. The 4.4mm Figaro at R20,990 is the most ordered men’s chain in the collection. Above it sit the 7.5mm Figaro at R49,250, the 5mm Mens Rope Chain at R49,650 and the Gold Gucci Link Chain at R32,990, which is the piece people stop to look at.

Buy 55cm unless you know otherwise, and go 60cm for a broader neck or if the chain is worn over a collar. For the full men’s range including silver and steel, see mens chains and the wider mens jewellery collection.

Gold chains for women

Finer gauges do more work on a woman’s neck, particularly with a pendant. The 1.75mm Infinity Chain at R5,595 and the 9ct Gold Anchor Chain at R6,295 are the two most practical entry points into solid gold. The 2.5mm Singapore at R12,990 adds sparkle without weight, and the herringbone at R15,990 is the one that photographs best because it lies completely flat.

45cm suits most women. Go 40cm to sit higher on the neck, or 50cm if you plan to layer two chains together.

Gold necklaces with pendants and diamonds

Not everything here is a plain chain. Several pieces arrive finished, with the pendant already matched to the chain and the bail sized correctly, which removes the guesswork.

Necklace	What it is	Price
5 Station Infinity Necklace	Five infinity links spaced along a fine 9ct chain	R7,995
Lab Diamond Cross Necklace	A cross set with lab grown diamonds on a gold chain	R8,795
Gold Rosary Necklace	A full rosary in solid gold, currently reduced from R13,850	R9,990
Infinity Diamond Necklace	A diamond set infinity pendant, also available in rose gold	R10,850
Gold Clover Diamond Necklace	The clover motif with a diamond centre	R11,950
Diamond 21st Key Necklace	The traditional 21st key, set with diamonds	R12,390
Gold Crucifix Pendant on Chain	A solid gold crucifix on a matched 45cm chain	R13,670
Heart Clover Pave Diamond Necklace	Pave set diamonds in 9ct gold. The dressiest piece here	R20,990

If you would rather choose the two parts yourself, the gold pendants collection holds 38 pieces to hang on any chain on this page.

Personalised gold chains

Name chains, initials and engraved discs are made to order, and most are offered in sterling silver, gold plated silver or solid gold. The listed price is the silver version, so check the metal selector on the product page for the solid gold price before you compare.

The Classic Personalised Name Necklace is the one we make most often. The Personalised Diamond Name Necklace at R14,650 is the solid gold and diamond version of the same idea, and the Personalised Family Tree Necklace and Layered Initial and Name Necklace are the two that get ordered for milestone birthdays. Browse them all in personalised necklaces, or the wider personalised jewellery range.

Because each piece is cut to your wording, order earlier than you would a stock chain.

Layering gold chains

Two or three chains worn together read as one deliberate piece when you vary something. Vary the length first, leaving about 5cm between each chain so all of them are visible. Vary the width next, with one fine chain against one wider one. Then vary the texture, for example a flat herringbone against a twisted rope.

Keep the metals matched if you are unsure, because gold on gold always works. If you want contrast, put the rose gold in the middle, since it sits between yellow and white and softens the jump between them. The paper clip chain is the easiest to layer, because the open links sit over other chains rather than tangling with them.

Buying a gold chain as a gift

A chain is the safest fine jewellery gift there is, because it does not depend on a ring size and it does not have to be exactly right to be worn. If you do not know what she likes, a 45cm chain between 1.5mm and 2.5mm suits almost everyone and can carry a pendant you add later.

Watch what the person already wears before you choose the colour. If everything on their hands is yellow gold, arriving with white gold is the one mistake that is hard to undo. And if the budget will not stretch to the width you want in solid gold, buy narrower rather than plated. A fine solid chain still looks right in ten years. A wide plated one does not last two.

Explore the gold collection

Everything below is solid 9ct or 18ct gold from the same collection. Product counts are live.

Category	What is in it	Pieces
Gold jewellery	The full gold range, every type in one place	312
Gold rings	Dress rings, stacking rings, signets and solitaires	66
Gold earrings	Studs, hoops, huggies and drops	61
Gold chains and necklaces	The same chains filed under chains and necklaces	46
Gold pendants	Crosses, initials, hearts and charms for a chain	38
Gold bracelets	Curb, figaro, rope and ID bracelets in solid gold	33
Gold bangles	Solid and hollow bangles in 9ct gold	13
Gold plated	The lower price point, plated rather than solid	25

Reading rather than shopping? Our guides cover gold jewellery in South Africa, gold earrings and 9ct gold bangles, including prices, hallmarks and how to spot plated gold.

Caring for a gold chain

Gold does not tarnish. What dulls a chain is the film of hand cream, sunscreen, soap and skin oil that collects between the links, and it comes off in minutes.

Do this	Why it matters	How often
Wash it in warm water with a drop of mild dish soap and a soft brush	Removes the film that dulls the surface without touching the metal	Monthly
Put it on last, after perfume and hairspray	Alcohol and oils are what build up in the first place	Every time
Take it off for the pool and the gym	Chlorine attacks the alloys mixed into gold, and weights bend links	Every time
Store it fastened, flat and on its own	Fastening prevents tangles, and flat storage protects herringbone and snake chains from kinking	Daily
Have the clasp checked	A worn clasp spring is the most common way people lose a chain, and it costs almost nothing to replace	Every year or two

Delivery

Free insured delivery anywhere in South Africa, including Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Gqeberha and Bloemfontein. Orders are tracked from our Table View workshop in Cape Town to your door, and you are welcome to collect in person instead. Personalised pieces are made to order, so allow extra time on those.

Questions

Keep looking

More gold. Gold jewellery, gold rings, gold earrings, gold pendants, gold bracelets and gold bangles.

More chains. Chains and necklaces, gold chains and necklaces, rose gold chains and necklaces and sterling silver chains.

For him. Mens chains, mens bracelets, mens wedding rings and all mens jewellery.

Also worth a look. Personalised jewellery, personalised necklaces, engagement rings, wedding rings and sterling silver jewellery.

Or start from the Aria Jewellery homepage.