If you are looking for a stylish accessory that will match almost any style and fit in a variety of settings, from the casual to the formal, you can’t go wrong by picking a good diamond chain.
Diamond chains for women are a classic accessory that screams style, taste, class, and of course, wealth. Diamond chains are recognized and valued around the world and are a subtle way to draw attention and admiring eyes to yourself.
Diamond chains for women are commonly known as “tennis chains” or “tennis necklaces”. The term first came into common use back in the late 80’s.
During the 1987 US Open, tennis player Chris Evert, was in a match when she lost her diamond chain necklace. The game was paused in order to allow Evert to look for her chain. This incident was seen and noted by people at the game and also by the TV viewers at home.
Since the incident with Evert, a chain of small linked diamonds or other gemstones have been referred to as tennis chains, even if the wearers are not limited to tennis players.
How much will a diamond chain for women cost?
When speaking about Diamond chains for women, the price for this accessory depends a lot on the diamonds used, especially how many diamonds are used.
For example, a pendant necklace with a single diamond typically costs at least $250, while a designer piece using multiple diamonds could cost around $30,000.
In general, however, you should be able to find a quality diamond chain in the basic tennis necklace style for about $1,500.
A tennis necklace is the most basic type of diamond chain for women. It’s basically a necklace that is made from several small diamonds that are linked together to form a chain.
As we said, the more diamonds that are used in a necklace, the more expensive it will get. However, depending on the quality of the diamonds used, you can probably find a good-quality diamond tennis necklace for about $950.
What to look for in a diamond chain?
The value and the beauty of a diamond chain for women has a lot to do with the diamonds used. The value of a diamond necklace is greatly influenced by the rarity of the diamonds, which are determined by the following.
- Carat
This refers to the weight of the diamond. Larger diamonds have a higher carat weight but they are very rare. As a rule of thumb, the greater the carats of a diamond, the rarer it is and the more valuable it is.
- Clarity
Clarity is measured by the number of marks in a diamond. There are inclusions, which are internal marks, and blemishes, which are external marks.
Clarity is measured on a rating scale. If a diamond is rated “flawless” this means that there are there are no inclusions or blemishes visible until you look at it under 10X magnification. These are the rarest and most valuable diamonds.
The lowest quality diamonds are rated “included 3”, this means that the inclusions and are big enough so that the affect the diamonds transparency.
- Cut
To bring out the true beauty and sparkle of a diamond, they need to be cut well. The cuts made on a diamond are called facets and the facets are meant to reflect as much light as they can. This is what gives quality diamonds there shine and sparkle.
- Color
The most valuable diamonds are colorless, though some diamonds may have a hint of yellow and be considered valuable due to other factors such as carat. There are also diamonds considered “fancy-colored”, like blue or even red and green. These diamonds are rare, so they are valuable, especially if they are of good clarity and a significant carat.
What type of material are diamond chains available in?
There are several different types of material that diamond chains for women can be made off. The most common materials are gold or gold alloys.
Gold is a classic precious metal that is used for jewelry and is quite a popular material for diamond chains. The sheen and luster of gold compliments the brilliance of diamonds. The problem with gold, however, is it’s not very durable as it is a soft metal.
A gold alloy is basically gold mixed with another metal. The resulting material retains much of the properties of gold but is stronger and harder and less likely to get scratched or dented. Depending on what is mixed in with the gold, the alloy produced can often come in a variety of lovely colors.
If you expect to be wearing your chain a lot though, it would be better to go with an alloy as they make for sturdier chains.
The most common gold alloy that can be used to make a diamond chain is white gold. This is gold mixed with a white metal such as nickel or silver. There is also rose gold, which is made by mixing gold and copper to create a material with a nice pinkish sheen. The popularity of rose gold, particularly for jewelry for women has really risen recently and a rose gold diamond chain is a nice statement piece that will really stand out.
The various gold alloys are a little cheaper than pure gold. In this sense, a gold alloy diamond chain is budget friendly. However, when you are thinking of a necklace as an investment, a gold alloy chain won’t really increase in value unlike a pure gold, silver, or platinum necklace.
The priciest material for a diamond chain is platinum. However, it also makes for the strongest chains. A platinum chain is your best bet if you want an accessory that will last. It is also a good investment as the value of a platinum chain will increase in value over time.
Aside from tennis chains, what other diamond chains for women are available?
If tennis chains just don’t seem to fit your particular style, there are a few other variations of diamond chains for women out there.
The original tennis chain links together multiple small diamonds of exactly the same size, color, and clarity, to form a chain of diamonds that loop around the wears neck. This is a classic and stylish look that suits almost any style.
If you’re looking for something a little less common, however, jewelers have developed a variation of the tennis chain that is a little less uniform called the graduated diamond tennis chain.
The graduated diamond tennis chain is a stylish and unique update to the classic tennis chain. It features a large center stone which is flanked by smaller stones. This gives the piece an interesting and eye-catching effect.
You can also consider a cuban link chain, which is a chain where the links end up interlocking when the chain is laid flat. You known those chunky, wide, strings of bling that you see on rappers? Those are Cuban link diamond chains.
If your style leans more towards urban or street, a Cuban link diamond chain is the perfect finishing touch.
Cuban chains for women are usually between 5 to 8 mm thick and are stronger and sturdier than tennis chains, so if you want to wear your chain daily, these might stand up more to the wear and tear brought about by your movements. However, as they are thicker and use more metals in their makeup, they are also a bit more expensive than tennis chains.
How to care for your diamond chain
Buying a good quality diamond chain for women is not just a splurge or a treat, but it is also an investment. The value of diamond necklaces increase with age, so you are not just getting an attractive accessory now, but a valuable resource that you can use in the future.
If you want to protect the value of your diamond chain, you need to care for it properly. While diamonds are known for their strength and durability, you still don’t want to be careless with them.
When you are not wearing your diamond chain, make sure that you store it properly in a clean, padded case. Your diamond chain should have its own solo case and not share a jewelry box with other pieces.
The reason for this is, you want to avoid the necklace getting scratched. If you keep your diamond chain with say, a pair of diamond earrings, they may rub against each other and – almost the only thing that can scratch diamond is another diamond.
Keep in mind as well that your diamond chain is also made of precious metals and those are a little less durable than diamonds. They can get scratched and damaged and bring down the value of your necklace.
You should also avoid wearing your diamond chain to the gym or when you do other strenuous activities. Sweating while wearing your necklace can tarnish the metals. Also, vigorous movements might weaken the bonds between the chain links and increase the risk of breakage.