Men's chain length guide

Length is the first decision. Not the link. Not the metal. How long the chain is, and where it sits on his neck.

UK chains are sold in centimetres: 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65. Those are the 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 inch lengths. Most men land on 50cm or 55cm. 50cm is the most-bought length. On a 5 ft 11 model it sits just below the collarbone.

If you are buying a first chain, or gifting one and you do not know his length, use the chart, then buy. Link style is a separate page.

How long should a men's chain be?

Long enough to sit where he wants it. Short enough that it does not look like it belongs to someone else.

For most men that is 50cm (20 inch) or 55cm (22 inch). Shorter sits higher on the neck. Longer drops onto the chest. If you are caught between the two, go longer. A chain that sits a bit low reads as a choice. A chain that sits tight reads as the wrong size.

Height is a first cut, not a rule. About 5 ft to 5 ft 11: start at 50cm. 6 ft and over: start at 55cm. Then check the sit you actually want.

The length chart

Sit points below are for a solo chain on a 5 ft 11, average neck. CRAFTD's model reference is 5 ft 11 with a 15.5 collar. A shorter man, a thicker neck, or a high collar wears the same length higher. A taller man wears it lower.

Length (UK)	Inch	Where it sits, solo	Where a pendant lands
45cm	18	High on the neck, close to the collar. Can feel tight on a broader neck.	Pendant sits at the collarbone. Use when you want the piece high and visible in an open shirt.
50cm	20	Just below the collarbone. Default. Most-bought length.	Pendant drops onto the upper chest. This is the chain length used on pendant + chain + bracelet sets.
55cm	22	Onto the chest. The other length most men actually wear.	Pendant sits lower. Better if he is 6 ft, or you want more drop.
60cm	24	Lower chest. Reads long on a shorter frame.	Pendant hangs long. Easy to overshoot if he is under 6 ft.
65cm	26	Mid-chest. A long drop.	Usually too long with a pendant unless that is the look you want.

Gift-set size labels round 50cm to 19.5 inch and 55cm to 21.5 inch. Same chains as 20 and 22 inch on this chart. Different rounding.

Not every style is cut in every length. Open the product and pick from the lengths it actually has. The full range is on the chains collection.

Solo chain or chain with a pendant

A pendant adds drop. The chain length stays the same. The lowest point of the piece sits lower than a bare chain of that length.

If he will wear the chain on its own, pick the sit you want from the chart.

If he will wear a pendant, decide where you want the pendant to land, not the clasp. For most men that is 50cm. CRAFTD pendants ship with a matched chain already on them, so you are choosing the length of that chain, not buying a second one. If the piece is the point, start on the pendants collection.

A heavier pendant needs a chain that can carry it without buckling. That is a pairing question, not a length question. Length still follows the chart.

If you are between two lengths

Go longer.

Use height only to get on the right rung:

About 5 ft to 5 ft 11: start at 50cm. That is the S/M gift-set chain.
6 ft and over: start at 55cm. That is the L/XL gift-set chain.
Broader neck, or you cannot tell: size up.

Then override with the sit. A 6 ft man who wants the chain at the collarbone still wants 50cm. A 5 ft 9 man who wants it on the chest still wants 55cm.

How to measure without guessing

Best: measure a chain he already wears and likes. Lay it flat, end to end, including the clasp. That number is the length. Buy that length, or the next one up if you land between shop sizes.

No chain in the house: use string.

Drape the string around his neck and let it fall to the sit you want (collar, collarbone, upper chest, lower chest).
Mark where the ends meet.
Measure the string in centimetres.
Buy the next length up if you land between two sizes.

Buying as a gift and you cannot drape string on him: steal the data. A chain already in a photo. Shirt collar size. Height. Collar 15 to 15.5 and height under 6 ft is usually 50cm. Collar 16, or height 6 ft+, is usually 55cm. When you still cannot tell, 50cm is the most-bought length and the one that exchanges cleanly.

Do not use a ring sizer for a chain. Rings are a different job.

After you have the length

Length is done. Now pick the link and the metal.

Every current length is on the chains collection. Open the product, pick 45, 50, 55, 60 or 65cm, done.

Which link (Cuban, Connell, rope, and the rest) is not this page. That is types of men's chains.

Quick answers

How long should a men's chain be?
50cm or 55cm for most men. 50cm sits just below the collarbone on a 5 ft 11 build. 55cm drops onto the chest. If you are between those two, take 55cm.

What is 20 inch in centimetres?
20 inch is the 50cm length. 18 inch is 45cm. 22 inch is 55cm. 24 inch is 60cm. 26 inch is 65cm.

What length with a pendant?
Start at 50cm unless he is 6 ft and you want the pendant lower. Pendant + chain + bracelet sets keep the chain at 50cm. The pendant will sit lower than a bare 50cm chain.

Does a thicker chain need a different length?
No. Width changes how loud the chain reads, not where the clasp sits. Length is still the chart. Width is a style choice on the types page.