I have often seen necklaces hanging from hooks and wondered whether the gold chain would stretch over time and eventually compromise the necklace. So I learned all I could think about the gold chain, how much it stretches, and if that affects the strength of the gold chain.
Gold chains do stretch because gold is a relatively soft, flexible metal. Heat makes gold chains more prone to stretching. Leaving a gold chain lying in the sun can soften the gold and cause the chain to stretch or even break if you snag it on something.
Let’s take a closer look at the properties of a gold chain and how easily it stretches.
Does Gold Chain Stretch?
The short answer is that a gold chain can stretch. This is because gold is a very flexible metal. The metal becomes even more flexible if a gold chain gets warm, making it prone to stretching.
If you leave your jewelry line out somewhere out in the direct sun, your gold chain can heat to the point of stretching slightly when you pick it up. Additionally, if you have your gold necklace hanging on a hook, it is in the direct heat of the sun, just the weight of the pendant can stretch your gold chain.
Another way that your gold chain can get stretched is when your body’s heat warms the chain, and then you snag the chain on anything. Even slightly warmed, your gold chain will have the potential to get stretched.
Why Do Gold Necklaces Stretch?
Necklaces stretch because the gold from which the chain is made is a flexible metal. As the gold warms either from the heat of your body from being exposed to other heat such as the sun, hot fire, or stove, it becomes even more flexible and prone to stretching.
You will notice that your gold chain has stretched when it becomes noticeably longer, for instance, the pendant of your necklace hangs lower around your neck.
During the process of stretching, the links of your gold chain will get thinner, creating points of weakness where your gold chain can potentially break.
Can A Stretched Gold Chain Be Fixed?
Some gold chains can be fixed at the point where they have stretched. However, this only applies to heavier, chunky types of gold chains where you can clearly see which link has been stretched.
More commonly, in the case of necklaces, the gold chain becomes stretched over the entire length of the chain rather than the individual links. In this case, the only solution is to shorten the chain by removing a few links at the clasp so that your necklace is once again at the same length it was before.
Remember that after a jeweler has shortened your necklace, it will still be slightly weaker than it was before because the chain has stretched. You need to treat your gold chain more carefully than before to ensure that it doesn’t break.
Types Of Gold Chain That Can’t Be Fixed
They are two distinct types of gold chains that can’t be fixed if they have become stretched.
The first of these is a hollow chain which is recognizable because it is much lighter than what the size of the chain might indicate. Hollow chain is also a cheaper chain to buy because there is less gold material making up the chain. The trouble with a hollow chain is that it stretches more easily than solid chains.
If you take a hollow chain for repair, you would likely be told that there is nothing the jeweler can do to fix the stretched links of the chain. The moment you bring a soldering iron anywhere near a hollow chain, it crumbles and melts away. The only solution for a stretched hollow chain is to shorten it by removing a few links at the clasp.
A herringbone chain is the second type of gold chain that can’t be fixed if it gets stretched. I include other custom chain designs with the herringbone chain. These types of chains are constructed via a series of fluid interlocking links. When these chains become stretched interlocking nature of the chain begins to unravel.
If you are lucky and have access to the custom jeweler that created your chain, they might be able to disassemble and reweave the interlocking chain together again. Usually, your only option will be to shorten the chain at the clasp.
Are Gold Chains Hard To Break?
Solid gold chains, which are also the most expensive, are the strongest, most durable, and therefore the most difficult to break once broken solid gold chains are easier to repair.
Hollow gold chains, on the other hand, while less expensive, break really easily. It is nearly impossible to repair a broken hollow gold chain.
Gold chains are more prone to wearing out from the abrasion of the links rubbing against each other than they are to breaking.
What Style Of Gold Chain is The Strongest?
The two types of gold chain designs which are significantly stronger than others are curb link chains and Cuban link chains. These chains are so strong that each link is individually soldered closed as the chain is manufactured.
Curb link chains, and Cuban link chains both have oval links. The difference between the two is that curb link chains have a slightly flattened face, while Cuban link chains have rounded and thicker walls. Both chains have a chunky look, making them relatively unpopular for fine jewelry and delicate necklaces.
Does Real Gold Chain Break Easily?
In general, the gold chain does not break very easily. Over time your gold chain could become stretched and thinner, giving it points of weakness where it could break. A gold chain will eventually wear out because of the abrasion from the links of the chain rubbing against each other.
Cheap gold chains there are usually hollow and significantly weaker. As a result, they are prone to breaking relatively easily. A high-quality solid gold chain will be the strongest option that you can choose and the least prone to breaking.
What Can I Do To Keep My Gold Chain From Breaking?
Because gold is a soft metal, it is very susceptible to abrasion. This means that liquid and gel residues from things like body lotion build up on your gold chain. This makes it easier for grit or microcrystals to get ingrained into your gold chain and act as an abrasive agent on the metal, leading to faster wear and tear.
If you’ve been using body lotion, then it’ll be a good option to wear your gold necklace over your clothes rather than under. For the same reason, only put on your necklace after you have sprayed perfume or cologne.
What To Do If Your Gold Chain Breaks?
If your gold chain has broken, your best option will be to collect together all of the broken links you can find and take them to your jeweler, who will be able to repair the chain in most circumstances.
As I mentioned earlier, there are certain gold chains that jewelers will refuse to repair because of how the chain was manufactured.
An important item to note here is that if your gold chain breaks, there is a good chance that some of the links may get lost. This means that there is a very high probability that your repaired gold chain will be slightly shorter than it was before.
If it was a necklace with a pendant that broke, remember to take the pendant with you to the jeweler when you have the chain repaired. If not, you might not be able to thread your pendant back onto the chain past the clasp once the chain is repaired.
