Different Types of Necklaces: A Complete Guide
A necklace does more work than most jewelry gives it credit for. It sits closest to the face, catches light before anything else does, and often becomes the piece a person is remembered by in a photograph years later. Understanding the different types of necklaces available today is less about memorizing terminology and more about knowing which silhouette belongs at which neckline, which length carries weight against a collarbone, and which chain reads as quiet versus which one announces itself.
This guide walks through the categories that matter most: how necklaces are measured, the types of chain necklaces worth knowing by name, and the essential necklace styles that hold up across seasons and occasions. Consider it a working vocabulary, the kind that makes shopping faster and dressing more deliberate.
Necklace Lengths
Length changes everything about how a necklace behaves. A choker sits directly at the throat, close enough to define the neckline rather than decorate it. A princess length, typically eighteen inches, lands at the collarbone and reads as the most versatile of the standard measurements, equally at home under a blazer or against bare skin. Matinee and opera lengths drop further still, and both do particular work with necklines that leave more room to fill. None of these categories exist in isolation. A pearl strand in opera length behaves differently than the same pearls cut to a choker, which is part of why the necklaces and pendants collection groups pieces by silhouette first and material second.
Types of Chain Necklaces
Chain is where craftsmanship becomes visible under close inspection. A cable chain, made of uniform interlocking ovals, is the most common foundation and the most forgiving to wear alone. A figaro alternates long and short links in a pattern borrowed from Italian goldsmithing. A box chain, square in cross section, catches light differently at every angle and holds its shape without twisting, which makes it a favorite for layering. Rope chains, twisted from multiple strands, carry more visual texture and more weight. Designers such as David Yurman built entire signatures around chain construction, cable in particular, proof that the link itself can be the design rather than just the delivery system for a pendant.
Essential Necklace Styles
A few categories earn a permanent place in a jewelry box. The solitaire pendant, one stone suspended on a fine chain, does the most with the least. The tennis necklace, a continuous line of matched stones, translates the logic of a tennis bracelet upward. Station necklaces space small diamonds or charms along an otherwise plain chain, offering sparkle without density. Layering pieces from Roberto Coin show how these essential necklace styles are increasingly designed to be worn in combination rather than singly, each chain calibrated to sit at a different depth. For bridal moments specifically, the wedding day jewelry collection narrows the field to pieces built for that particular kind of scrutiny.
The difference between a pendant and a charm gets its own attention in our piece on pendants versus charms, and for necklaces built around a moment rather than a material, our holiday necklace guide covers what tends to perform at that time of year.
Finding Your Style
Once length and chain type are settled, the remaining question is proportion: what a neckline asks for, what a face shape flatters, and whether a piece is meant to be seen from across a room or noticed only up close. That decision is easier made in person, with pieces held against skin rather than scrolled past on a screen. At Blakeman's, our team spends time with each client working through exactly that, matching the different types of necklaces in our collection to how a piece will actually be worn, not just how it photographs.
FAQs
What is the most trendy necklace style right now?
Layered chains in mixed lengths continue to lead, often combining a delicate cable chain with a slightly heavier figaro or box link for contrast. Chunkier, sculptural gold pieces have also gained ground as a counterpoint to the more minimal looks of recent seasons.
What are some necklaces every woman should have?
A solitaire pendant, a princess-length chain that can stand alone, and one statement piece for evening cover most situations. Pearls remain the exception that works with nearly anything.
What necklace style is most popular?
The pendant necklace holds the broadest appeal, largely because it adapts so easily between casual and formal settings without requiring a second piece.
What are the latest trends for pendant necklaces?
Asymmetric and sculptural pendants are gaining attention, along with pieces that reference personal symbolism rather than purely decorative motifs. Mixed metal settings on a single pendant are also showing up more often than in past seasons.
