The 3 Chain-Bracelet Styles Your Jewelry Collection Needs

If you were to analyze the components of your wardrobe, there would be one contingent of all-round heroes – the pieces that you wear week in, week out that can seamlessly slip from one area of your life straight into another. We’re talking the smart shirt dress, the soft, luxe T-shirt, the second-skin knit and perfectly cut jeans. You may have owned them for five years or more, but they still hit the mark every time you whip them out. A well-curated fine-jewelry collection is no different, comprising chameleon-like pieces that will become old faithfuls, yet still deliver high shine and potent sparkle with every wear – and the chain bracelet is one of these super-jewels.

“A chain bracelet is a keystone for any contemporary fine-jewelry collection – it’s such an easy piece to stack with other bracelets, but its design can also vary greatly depending on what style of chain or designer you choose,” says Edwina Hilton, fine jewelry and watches buyer at NET-A-PORTER. “A bracelet is the only piece of jewelry that I actually never take off,” she adds. “Perhaps because they are so consistently worn, bracelets often have more meaning behind them than other categories of jewelry – and they make a gorgeous gift, too.”

David Yurman, a New York-based maison, is nirvana for those who love chains imbued with meaning and prestige. The ‘Lexington’ design is a favorite of model Taylor Hill, and it’s easy to understand why: the chunky chain includes cable-style links – a brand signature that references the first piece of jewelry the founder ever made for his wife. Embellished with a final flourish of diamonds upon the T-bar fastening, it’s a statement piece that will look just as stylish paired with ripped denim as with your go-to LBD.

Meanwhile, a subtle Havana chain is the equivalent of a leather jacket: a forever piece that always adds a little coolness to whatever you pair it with. Anita Ko’s 14-karat gold Havana-chain bracelet is composed of highly polished flat links that seamlessly slink together, creating a satisfyingly fluid feel on the wrist. Chain connoisseurs will appreciate the difference between a Havana (or Cuban) chain and a Curb chain – while both have links shaped to lie flat on the skin, curb chains have rounder links that give a chunkier feel, while the Havana leans towards a sleek, slender oval shape.

Similarly elegant is Foundrae’s 18-karat gold ‘Reflection’ bracelet, which features a clip chain with long links that feel effusively modern. The heart pendant is a key motif within Foundrae’s unique lexicon and language, which allows each customer to create a mélange of storytelling symbols with interchangeable charms. This love talisman, embellished with scarlet enamel, is irresistible and represents the seven types of love defined throughout history, including romantic love, the love between parent and child, and self-love. We could all use a little of that on a daily basis, no?