What is a Connell Chain? The Story Behind our Bestseller

The Connell chain is a slim 2mm curb chain that takes its name from Paul Mescal's character in the 2020 Sally Rooney adaptation Normal People. It's now our bestselling chain, worn by first-time chain buyers and long-time collectors alike, and the piece that's been sitting on the CRAFTD homepage since it became the most-searched chain in men's jewellery.

Below, we'll walk through where the Connell came from, what actually makes ours the Connell, how to wear it, how it differs from a Belcher (they're not the same chain, despite the confusion), and why it's the piece we sell more of than anything else in the range.

Jump to:

• What Is a Connell Chain?
• The Story Behind the Connell Chain
• Is a Connell Chain the Same as a Belcher Chain?
• The CRAFTD Connell in Detail
• How to Style a Connell Chain
• Connell Chain Bracelets
• Best Pendants to Pair With a Connell Chain
• Why the Connell Became Our Bestseller
• How to Care for a Connell Chain
• FAQs

What Is a Connell Chain?

A Connell chain is a slim curb chain, made from small flat twisted links that sit flush against the neck. Our Connell is 2mm in width, comes in silver, gold, and rose gold, and is the chain most men wear every day without thinking about it. It's the same shape you'd call a classic curb, worn at the specific width and finish that became famous through Normal People.

What separates the Connell from a heavier curb like a Cuban is width and presence. Where a Cuban leads an outfit, the Connell sits inside it. Where a Cuban catches the eye, the Connell earns a second look only from someone who's paying attention. That restraint is the whole point.

For the broader context on how a curb chain is made, and how the Connell sits in the wider curb family, our what is a curb chain guide walks through the mechanics. This piece stays focused on the Connell itself: what makes it, where it came from, and how to wear it.

The Story Behind the Connell Chain

The Connell name traces to a specific moment in April 2020, when BBC Three and Hulu aired the twelve-part adaptation of Sally Rooney's Normal People. Paul Mescal played Connell Waldron. Throughout the series he wore a plain 2mm silver chain, sitting flat against his collarbone under a rotation of white tees, half-buttoned shirts, and knitwear.

The chain became the show's most-searched piece of styling. Fashion editors wrote about it. Reddit threads dedicated to identifying the exact piece. Instagram accounts sprang up documenting it. Within weeks, a chain style that had been quietly worn by men for decades had a new name attached to it: the Connell.

It was a moment that landed at the right time. Menswear had been trending toward subtlety and away from the heavier, iced-out chains that had defined the 2010s. Men were looking for jewellery that could go with a workday shirt as easily as it went with a Saturday tee, and the Connell offered exactly that. Slim enough to disappear when you didn't want it seen. Present enough to read clearly when you did.

At CRAFTD we'd been making the same chain style before, during, and after the moment. What changed was that men now had a name for what they wanted, and the Connell became the single most-searched piece in our range. Five years on, it's still the chain we sell more of than any other.

Is a Connell Chain the Same as a Belcher Chain?

No. The Connell chain and the Belcher chain are two different chain shapes, and confusing the two is one of the most common mistakes we hear. Both are slim, both suit everyday wear, but the link geometry is completely different.

A Belcher chain has round, open links, uniformly sized. The chain sits on the neck as a soft, continuous curve of circles, and the style traces back to the early 1800s, named after English boxing champion Jem Belcher.

A Connell chain has flat, twisted links, sitting flush and defined rather than round and open. It's a curb chain, not a Belcher.

The confusion tends to come from the fact that both are worn slim and both work as everyday chains. Some retailers use the terms interchangeably, which doesn't help. If you've been searching for a Belcher and landed here, the Belcher we make is a distinct chain in the range. If you've been searching for a Connell, this is the piece.

The CRAFTD Connell in Detail

The CRAFTD Connell is a 2mm curb chain in three finishes and three lengths. The width is deliberate: wide enough for the flat twisted links to read clearly against a tee, narrow enough to sit invisibly under a shirt collar. That balance is what makes it the versatile everyday piece it is.

We make it in sterling silver, 18K gold, and rose gold. See the full Connell collection for length options and matching bracelets.

Length-wise, 55cm is where most men land. It's the length that mimics how the chain sat on Mescal in the series, dropping just past the collarbone rather than sitting tight to the throat. 50cm sits higher, 60cm drops onto the chest. If you want the pattern most first-time buyers keep coming back to, 55cm in silver is the safest bet.

Every Connell we make is hand-finished after milling, which is what keeps the chain sitting straight rather than kinking after a few weeks of wear. It's the difference between a chain that ages into a rotation and one that gets quietly put in a drawer.

How to Style a Connell Chain

The Connell was made to be worn solo. It's the rare chain that reads best on its own rather than layered, because its whole appeal is the quiet line it draws across the collarbone rather than the visual weight of a stack.

The look Mescal made famous, and the one most men land on, is simple. A plain white or black tee, or an open-collar shirt in a mid-weight fabric. The chain sits at the front of the outfit without being the front of the outfit. If you want a starting point, that's the pattern to copy: tee, jeans, watch on the wrist, Connell at 55cm, and let the piece do its work.

Under a shirt collar, the 2mm width slips cleanly without tugging or peeking through. This is where the Connell wins over heavier chains: you can wear it to a meeting under a buttoned shirt, then open the collar for the walk home and the chain reads completely differently. Same chain, two contexts.

With knitwear, the Connell layers particularly well over the neckline of a fine merino or cashmere knit. The chain's polished finish reflects light against the matte texture of the wool, which is a look that carries you through autumn and winter without ever feeling overdressed.

Layering the Connell with another chain is less common, and we'd generally advise against doubling up. If you do want two chains, the Connell works best as the top line above a heavier piece like a Cuban 4mm. The Connell reads clean, the Cuban carries the weight, and the two lengths give you a stack that doesn't compete.

Connell Chain Bracelets

The Connell bracelet is the same 2mm curb chain scaled for the wrist. Worn on its own it reads as a quiet finishing piece alongside a watch. Worn as a set with the necklace it reads as an intentional pair, a two-piece finish that most men who own the Connell chain end up adding.

Sizing sits between 18 and 22cm for most men. Loose enough to move on the wrist rather than pull, tight enough not to catch on shirt cuffs or ride up over the hand.

We make the bracelet in three finishes to match the chain. Silver, gold, and rose gold. If you already wear the chain, the matching-finish bracelet is the safest add. If you're mixing metals, a gold bracelet on a silver chain (or vice versa) works when the rest of the outfit is quiet enough to carry it.

Best Pendants to Pair With a Connell Chain

The 2mm width of the Connell sets a specific rule for pendants: keep them small to medium. A heavier pendant pulls the chain into a V rather than letting it sit flat, and the whole appeal of the Connell is that flat line. Three pendants that fit the width without fighting it:

North Star. Our most-reviewed pendant. Where a compass points somewhere outside you, the North Star reads as an inward thing: your own truth, backing yourself, moving toward what you actually want. Our North Star pendant works beautifully on a Connell because the small geometric silhouette lives inside the chain's understated line instead of pulling against it.

Jesus & Mary. Two figures on one medallion, faith and protection carried together. It's a piece that rewards a second look, which is exactly what a slim chain invites. Our Jesus & Mary pendant pairs cleanly with a Connell because the detail on the medallion earns attention up close without demanding it from across a room.

Cross. No figure, no ornament, no story other than the shape itself. The Cross pendant is the quietest of the three, and often the one that lasts longest in a wardrobe because it doesn't try to say anything the wearer isn't ready to say himself. Sits perfectly on the Connell's clean line without ever making the outfit feel decorative.

All three read best in a matching finish to the chain. Silver on silver, gold on gold. Let the pieces meet cleanly rather than compete.

Why the Connell Became Our Bestseller

Three things drove it, and they still do.

The cultural moment gave it a name. Chain styles this shape have existed for over a century, but until Normal People aired, they didn't have a shorthand. The word Connell gave men a specific thing to search for, and a specific reason to buy it. Search intent went from vague to precise overnight.

The 2mm width solves a real problem. Most men wanting a first chain don't want a statement piece. They want something they can wear under a work shirt and over a weekend tee, without changing anything else in the outfit. Nothing else in our range does that quite as cleanly. Wider chains lead the outfit, thinner chains disappear entirely; the Connell sits exactly in between.

The three-finish range covers almost anyone. Silver reads clean and everyday, gold reads warmer and slightly dressier, rose gold sits between the two and suits lighter skin tones particularly well. Whichever finish a man leans toward, there's a version of the Connell for it.

Five years on from the Normal People moment, the search volume hasn't dropped. Chain styles come and go, but the Connell has settled into the everyday-essential category alongside a plain white tee and a decent pair of jeans. It's now the piece we point every first-time chain buyer toward, and the piece most of them end up wearing for years.

How to Care for a Connell Chain

The Connell is a slim everyday chain, which means it takes on the small rituals of daily wear more than a chunkier piece does. A little care keeps it looking sharp for years rather than months.

End of each day. Wipe the chain with a soft cloth before you take it off, or immediately after. Fingerprints, cologne residue, and skin oil settle into the joints between links and dull the finish over weeks, not days. Ten seconds now saves ten minutes later.

Deep clean every fortnight. Fill a small bowl with warm water and one drop of mild dish soap. Soak the chain for five minutes, then work a soft-bristled brush along the twist of the links. Rinse, pat dry with a lint-free cloth, and let it finish drying on a paper towel. Avoid harsh solvents, abrasive polishes, and ultrasonic tanks unless the piece is rated for them.

Water and heat. The Connell handles showers, workouts, and pools without complaint. Where it takes a hit is salt water, so if you're wearing it at the beach, a quick freshwater rinse and wipe extends the finish by months.

Storage. Keep the chain lying flat when you're not wearing it. A shallow tray or a soft pouch works. Chains left knotted in a drawer for months develop micro-kinks in the flat links that a gentle untangle can't fully undo.

Silver specifically. Sterling silver dulls when it isn't worn. The best prevention is to wear it regularly. If the finish does darken, a specialist silver polishing cloth restores it in a minute or two.

FAQs

What Is a Connell Chain?

A Connell chain is a slim 2mm curb chain named after Paul Mescal's character in the 2020 Normal People series. Our Connell is a classic curb shape with flat twisted links, made in silver, gold, and rose gold at 2mm width.

Why Is It Called a Connell Chain?

The chain took the name Connell after the 2020 Normal People adaptation of the Sally Rooney novel, where Paul Mescal's character Connell Waldron wore a plain 2mm silver chain throughout the series. The chain became the show's most-searched styling piece, and the name Connell attached itself to that specific slim curb shape.

Is a Connell Chain the Same as a Belcher Chain?

No. They're different chain shapes. The Connell is a curb chain (flat twisted links), while a Belcher is a round open-link chain named after the early-1800s boxer Jem Belcher. Both are slim and both work as everyday chains, which is where the confusion comes from, but the link geometry is completely different.

Is a Connell Chain a Curb Chain?

Yes. The Connell is a slim curb chain, worn at 2mm width. If you've searched for a curb chain and landed on the Connell, you're in the right place.

What Width Connell Chain Should I Get?

We make the Connell at 2mm because that's the exact width Paul Mescal wore in Normal People, and the width the chain became known at. Wider curb chains exist in the range (our Cuban is one), but at anything above 2mm the piece stops reading as a Connell and starts reading as a heavier statement chain.

What Length Connell Chain Should I Choose?

The sweet spot is between 50 and 55cm for most men. Shorter sits closer to the throat, longer drops down the chest. If you're unsure between two sizes, err longer. A chain that sits a fraction low always reads more natural than one cinched tight.

Can You Wear a Connell Chain With a Pendant?

Yes. The flat twisted links of a Connell hold a small to medium pendant cleanly. Heavier pendants pull the chain out of its straight line, so for anything with real weight, size up to a thicker chain.

Are Connell Chains for Men or Women?

Both wear them. The 2mm width is unisex, and length is what tends to shift how the chain reads. Longer lengths and layered stacks tip masculine; shorter lengths worn solo read as women's.

Is the Connell Chain From Normal People Real?

Yes and no. The chain worn by Paul Mescal in Normal People was a plain slim silver curb chain, and Connell chains today all draw from the same design. Ours is the same chain shape and width, made to last rather than sourced as a costume piece.

How Do I Know if a Connell Chain Is Real Gold?

Check the clasp for a karat stamp. Real gold pieces carry a mark reading 10K, 14K, 18K, or 24K depending on purity. Plated pieces are typically stamped GP, GEP, or HGE, and gold-filled pieces show GF. Weight is another quick test: solid gold has real heft, and a plated piece at the same width will feel noticeably lighter in the palm.

Find Yours

If you're new to chains, this is the piece we'd point you to first. The Connell in silver at 55cm is the setup most first-time buyers keep coming back to, and the setup that made the chain what it is. Match it with the Connell bracelet for a matching-finish two-piece across the wrist and neck.

If you're weighing the Connell against the wider curb family, our what is a curb chain guide walks through the whole family. And if you'd rather see the range in one place, the full chain collection is here.

This guide was put together by the CRAFTD team, from years of fitting, sizing, and shipping the Connell to men who now wear it every day.