Green neck: what it is, why it happens and how to stop it for good
Green neck
You take off your chain and there it is. A green ring round your neck.
It is not dirt and it is not bad luck. It is chemistry. Here is what causes it, what it says about the chain you bought, and the 5 things to check so it never happens again.
Definition
Green neck
noun. A green or blue-green mark on the skin under a chain or ring.
- Cheap chains are often brass or another copper-based metal under a thin coat of colour.
- Sweat, salt, skin oils, soap and chlorine make the copper oxidise.
- The copper salts that form are green. They rub off onto your skin.
The green neck formula
The plating on a cheap chain is very thin. It wears through in weeks at the gym, in the shower or in the sea. Then the copper sits straight on your skin and the reaction starts. Many low-cost alloys also contain nickel, one of the most common causes of skin allergy. That is the itch and the rash some men get.
Cheap chain
- Brass or copper core
- Thin plating rubs off
- Turns your skin green
- Can irritate sensitive skin
CRAFTD chain
- 316L steel all the way through
- Scratch and fade-resistant finish
- Never turns your skin green
- Waterproof and sweat-proof
5 ways to never get green neck again
01
Check what is under the colour
The colour you see is not the metal you wear. A gold-look chain for ¥15 is almost always brass under a few microns of plating. Ask what the core is. If the shop can't tell you, you have your answer.
02
Pick 316L steel, not brass
316L is the grade of steel used for medical instruments and watch cases. It has no copper core, so there is nothing to turn green. It is the core of every CRAFTD chain, then sealed with a scratch and fade-resistant finish.
03
Wear one you never have to take off
The gym, the shower, a holiday in the sea. Every time you take a cheap chain off to protect it, it is telling you it can't cope. Our chains are waterproof and sweat-proof. Put it on and leave it on.
04
Don't pay designer prices to fix it
The answer is not a ¥400 chain. Designer prices pay for boutiques, middlemen and celebrity deals, not better metal. We sell direct, so you pay for the chain and nothing else.
Not the cheapest. Not the most expensive. The right metal at a fair price.
05
Buy one that is guaranteed for life
A good chain should outlast the trend. Every CRAFTD piece comes with a Lifetime Warranty. Snap it, damage it, we've got you. Over 1,000,000 orders and worn by Rio Ferdinand, Lando Norris and Steven Bartlett.
Cheap vs designer vs CRAFTD
| Cheap | Designer | CRAFTD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core metal | Brass or copper | Varies | 316L steel |
| Turns green | Yes | Can do | Never |
| Shower and gym | No | Take it off | Yes |
| Warranty | None | Limited | Lifetime |
| Price | ¥15 | ¥250+ | From ¥9,700 |
Three gifts. Pay for two.
One for him. One for your dad. One for you. None of them will ever turn green.
For himCuban chain
For your dadCompass pendant
For youFreeLuxury gift box available. Lifetime Warranty on every piece.
Build your gift setAny 3, get the cheapest freeYour questions
Is green neck harmful?
The green itself is usually harmless and washes off with soap. But it shows the metal is reacting with your skin, and nickel in cheap alloys can cause itching or a rash. If a rash does not go away, talk to a pharmacist or GP.
How do I get the green off?
Warm water and soap is usually enough. Then stop wearing the chain that caused it, or the mark will come back.
Will a CRAFTD chain turn my neck green?
No. Our chains are 316L steel all the way through, with no copper core to react with your skin.
Can I wear it in the shower or at the gym?
Yes. Our pieces are waterproof and sweat-proof.
What does the Lifetime Warranty cover?
Accidental damage, like a snapped chain or a damaged pendant. It does not cover pieces that are lost or stolen.
You read it. Here's your reward.
Build your 3 below and get the cheapest one free.
