Necklace Length Guide
Just a few centimeters can change the character of a necklace. The same chain that brushes the throat, when lengthened, reaches the chest: these are two different pieces of jewelry, requiring two different necklines. Below are the six lengths traditionally used in jewelry, with their names and where they actually fall.
The Six Lengths
| Name | Length | Where it falls |
|---|---|---|
| Collar | 30 – 33 cm | Fits tightly at the base of the neck, above the collarbones. It requires bare shoulders: it suits a wide neckline perfectly, but disappears under a collar. |
|
Choker the round necklace |
35 – 41 cm | Rests in the hollow of the throat. It wears well alone and is the natural base when you want to layer others. |
| Princess | 42 – 49 cm | Falls on or just below the collarbones. It is the most common length, one that rarely goes wrong. |
| Matinee | 50 – 61 cm | Falls mid-chest, between the collarbones and the bust. It shows well over a crew neck top, which leaves it free space. |
| Opera | 70 – 91 cm | Falls at bust level or lower. It complements V-necklines and elongates the torso line. |
| Rope | over 91 cm | Falls well below the bust. It can be worn doubled, appearing as two necklaces of different lengths. |
The calculation that explains the misunderstanding. A necklace wraps around the neck, so it falls about half its length. An 80 cm necklace does not fall eighty centimeters below the chin: it falls about forty, that is, at bust level. For this reason, the number alone says little.
How to measure the length you need
With a string
- Take a string, ribbon, or strip of paper and place it around your neck
- Let it fall on your chest to the point where you want the necklace to reach
- Mark where the string overlaps behind your neck
- Straighten it out and measure it with a ruler: that is the length you need
With a necklace you already have
- Take a necklace you like for how it falls
- Open it and lay it flat on a surface
- Measure it entirely, including the clasp
- Find that measurement in the table above
Which to choose, according to neckline
- Round neckline — princess and matinee: they rest on the skin without ending on the fabric
- V-neckline — matinee and opera: they accompany the line instead of cutting it
- High neck or turtleneck — opera and rope: fully visible above the garment
- Bare shoulders or boat neckline — collar and choker: the neck remains free, and that is where the eye goes
- Open shirt — a princess inside the opening, or a long one that overlaps it
If you want to layer two or three
The practical rule is to leave at least five centimeters between one chain and another: below that distance they overlap and read as one. The easiest combinations are choker with matinee, or princess with opera. If you wear three, vary the thicknesses: a thin chain in the middle of two thicker ones gives air to the ensemble.
Where to find it written
On every product page, the length in centimeters is indicated. If it is missing, or if you have doubts about how it will fall on you, write to us: there is a person on the other side.
