Byzantine Chains

The facts, from our listings

• Gold: solid 14K, yellow from 3 mm to 5 mm, white and rose at 3.8 mm; the rose chain has white diamond cuts.
• Silver: .925 sterling, 4 mm to 6 mm.
• Length: 18 to 30 inches; 22 and 24 inches are offered most.
• Weight: the 14K chains list from 39 grams at 3 mm to 87 grams at 5 mm.
• Stock: each listing says whether the chain is in the case at 47th Street or made to order.

What width Byzantine chain should I start with?

3 to 4 mm. It already reads full on its own and carries a light pendant; 5 mm and up is a chain meant to be seen.

Can a Byzantine chain be worn without a pendant?

Yes. The weave carries the look by itself, so it wears well alone; a light pendant also sits well on 3 to 4 mm.

Gold or silver Byzantine?

Solid 14K for a chain kept for years, since gold does not tarnish. The .925 silver Byzantines give the same weave in a white metal; silver darkens over time, so it wants a polish now and then.

How do I keep a Byzantine chain from tangling?

Hang it, or lay it flat apart from other chains, so the woven links do not knot, and clean it in warm water with mild soap and a soft brush. See how to clean a gold chain.

Read 10K vs 14K vs 18K gold chains on karat. Other styles: Figaro chains and 14K gold chains, or every style in men's gold chains; the silver weave also has its own page, silver Byzantine chains.

Wider, square or twisted? Our chain book holds Byzantine styles made to order in 10K to 22K, with the weight at every length. To see one, visit our showroom; ask on the chat first, and calls and texts to 212-872-9692 are answered from 10 AM ET. The day's gold spot price has its own page.