Necklaces | Hypoallergenic Gold & Silver Chains, Pendants & Chokers

Look for necklaces where the entire chain — not just the pendant or front section — is made from a hypoallergenic material. The most skin-safe metals are 316L surgical-grade stainless steel, 925 sterling silver, pure titanium, and solid gold (14k+). Our necklaces use either 316L stainless steel with 18k gold PVD coating or 925 sterling silver throughout the entire piece, including the clasp and jump rings. This matters because the clasp sits against the nape of your neck and is a common irritation point that cheaper necklaces often make from lower-grade alloys.

Green marks on your neck are caused by copper oxidation. Most fashion necklaces use brass or copper-alloy chains with a thin gold coating. When that coating wears through — and it wears fastest at the clasp and along links that rub together — the copper reacts with moisture and your skin's natural acidity to produce copper salts, which leave a green deposit. Our necklaces won't cause this because the base metal is 316L stainless steel (non-reactive) or 925 sterling silver (no copper in quantities that cause this reaction). For more detail, read our guide on why jewellery turns skin green and how to prevent it.

With our stainless steel PVD-coated necklaces, yes — they're fully waterproof and designed for exactly that. Soap, shampoo, and hot water don't affect the finish. Sterling silver necklaces can handle occasional water exposure but will develop a natural patina faster with regular showering. If you want a necklace you never take off, including in the shower, our waterproof necklaces collection features every style specifically tested for daily water exposure.

Three things prevent tangling: length separation, chain weight, and clasp placement. Choose necklaces with at least 2–3 inches difference in length so they sit in distinct layers rather than bunching together. Heavier chains tangle less than very fine ones because gravity keeps them in place. And if your clasps rotate to the front, a necklace layering clasp (available from most jewellery accessory brands) holds multiple chains at the back of your neck to keep them separated. Our layering necklaces are designed with these principles in mind — varied lengths and weights that work together naturally.

For a single everyday necklace, 18 inches (45cm) is the most versatile length — it falls just below the collarbone and works with almost any neckline. If you prefer a closer fit, 16 inches sits at the base of the throat like a choker. For layering, start with a shorter piece (14–16 inches) and add longer chains in 2–3 inch increments. All our product pages list the exact chain length so you can plan your combination before purchasing.

Standard gold plating uses electrochemistry to deposit a thin gold layer (typically 0.5–1.5 microns) onto a base metal — usually brass or copper. The layer wears through within months of regular wear, especially at the clasp and where chain links rub together. PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) coating uses vacuum technology to bond gold to the surface at a molecular level, creating a significantly more durable finish that lasts years. The base metal also differs: most plated necklaces use brass; our PVD necklaces use 316L stainless steel. This means even if the gold ever wore through after years of use, there's non-reactive steel underneath rather than copper that turns your skin green.