The length of a tennis chain matters more than its carat weight. A 10 carat chain at the right length looks deliberate. A 20 carat chain that lands at the wrong point on the chest looks borrowed. Get the length right first, then choose the weight.
Length by neck size
Measure your neck at the base, where a shirt collar sits, with a soft tape. A chain has to be longer than that number to lie flat instead of choking. A useful rule: add about 2 inches for a chain that sits at the base of the neck, about 4 for one that rests on the collarbone, and about 6 for one that drops below it.
On an average man, with a neck around 15.5 to 16 inches, the standard lengths sit like this:
- 18 inches: at the base of the neck, close to the collarbone. Shows above a crewneck and in any open collar.
- 20 inches: just below the collarbone. The most common length for men. Shows with two shirt buttons undone.
- 22 inches: on the upper chest. Hidden under a crewneck, visible only with an open collar.
With a neck of 17 inches or more, start at 20 and consider 22. A larger build pushes every length up the chest, so 22 sits on a big man where 20 sits on a slim one.
The Tennis Chain is sized from 18 to 22 inches. Order the length you measured for, not the one you saw on someone else.
Carat weight and link width
Total carat weight is spread across every link. At the same weight, a longer chain has more links and therefore smaller stones, and a shorter chain looks bolder.
The Tennis Chain runs from 8 to 20 carats total, in round stones set in four-claw links, in 18k white or yellow gold. As a rough guide:
- 8 carats reads as a fine, bright line. Stones run roughly 2.5 mm, the chain lies flat and moves easily, and it suits everyday wear.
- 12 to 15 carats is the middle. The chain has presence at arm's length without taking over.
- 20 carats is a statement. Stones approach 3.5 mm, and the chain has real weight in the hand and on the skin.
Match the width to your frame and your watch. A slim wrist and a small dress watch want the lighter end. A broad build can carry 15 carats and up without the chain looking like the main event.
Clasp safety
The clasp is where a tennis chain fails. A box clasp is the standard on serious chains: a folded tongue clicks into a box and holds by spring tension. Every Tennis Chain closes with one.
On any box clasp, ask for a safety latch, a small hinged catch on the side that closes over the tongue. With the latch shut, the chain stays on even if the tongue is pushed loose.
Once or twice a year, have a jeweler look at the clasp tension and the claws. Four-claw links show more of each stone and let in more light than a channel or bezel, which is why the chain looks so bright, but a claw can bend if the chain snags. Take it off for the gym, for swimming and for sleep.
With an open collar
The tennis chain was made for an open collar. A white or pale blue shirt with two buttons undone and a 20 inch chain sitting just inside the opening is the classic way to wear one.
Keep the collar soft. A spread collar or a button-down works. A stiff, fused business collar fights the chain. A crisp cotton poplin, such as the Luca Faloni white poplin shirt, is the right base: plain enough that the chain is the only detail at the neck.
In summer, linen does the same job. In autumn, a long-sleeve knitted polo with the top button open does it with more texture.
With a knit
Under a crewneck, an 18 inch chain sits at the neckline and shows as a thin line of light above the knit. In cold weather that is the most refined way to wear one. A 22 inch chain disappears under a crewneck, so either switch to an open collar or leave it at home.
Never wear a tennis chain over a sweater. The claws catch the yarn and pull both the knit and the setting.
The bracelet and the studs
The Tennis Bracelet runs 5 to 10 carats total in 18k gold, sized to the wrist. Measure just below the wrist bone and add about half an inch for a close fit or three quarters of an inch for a looser one. Wear it on the wrist without the watch, so metal and stones do not grind against each other.
The Studs come round or Asscher, 1.5 to 3 carats each, in a martini or four-claw setting. A martini setting holds the stone in a three-claw cone that sits close to the lobe and keeps it from tipping forward. Four claws show more of the stone and sit a touch prouder.
Start with one diamond piece in view at a time. A chain or studs, then add the other once the first feels like yours.
Every LUCE piece is made to order in 18k gold with lab-grown stones graded by IGI or GIA, priced on request, on the diamonds page. For rings, see the lab-grown diamond signet ring guide.
The pieces
The best markdowns, before they sell out.