Gold Chain Buying Guide: Karat, Width, Length & Construction

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Buying a gold chain gets easier once you separate four variables: gold purity, construction, width and length. Style comes after those fundamentals.

Choose the karat

10K contains a lower proportion of gold than 14K or 18K. Higher karat means a greater gold proportion; durability, color, price and personal preference all matter.

Solid vs. hollow

“Solid” and “hollow” describe construction, not gold purity. Hollow chains can offer a larger visual profile for less material, while solid construction generally uses more metal at comparable dimensions.

Width and length

Millimeters describe width; inches typically describe necklace length in U.S. listings. Check both because a chain style can look dramatically different at different widths and lengths.

Check the clasp and specs

Read the full listing for clasp type, approximate weight when provided, dimensions and whether the piece is solid, hollow, plated, filled or another construction.