Mens Gold-Tone Box Chain

A fine gold-tone box chain, worn on its own

Not every man wants a statement chain. A fine gold-tone box chain is the opposite: a thin, clean line at the collarbone that shows at an open collar and disappears under a buttoned shirt. This page is about wearing the box chain alone, as a minimal everyday piece. If you are looking for a box chain with a pendant on it, see gold box chains with a pendant.

The chain

Our Box Chain Necklace in Titanium Steel is the one to start with:

• Link: box (also called veneziana), tiny square links joined tight.
• Width: 1.5 mm.
• Material: titanium steel, a stainless steel alloy, not pure titanium.
• Finish: gold-tone plating, or bare polished steel (silver-tone).
• Lengths: 18" or 20" in gold-tone; 18" to 24" in silver-tone.
• Clasp: lobster clasp.

18 or 20 inches?

If you are unsure, take 20". On a larger neck, 18" can feel close.

Three ways to wear a thin gold box chain

Alone, every day

With a white t-shirt or a linen shirt, a 1.5 mm gold-tone line is all you need. It pairs easily with a watch because it never competes with it.

Under a suit

Under a buttoned shirt it is invisible. With an open collar and no tie, it shows just enough.

As the top chain in a layer

Wear it at 18" or 20" above a heavier gold-tone chain at 24" or more. The contrast between a fine box chain and a wide chain is what makes a layer work. Browse men's gold-tone chains for the second chain, or our thin chains for other fine styles.

Care for a thin plated chain

A fine chain is light, but it can knot. Store it on its own, flat or hung. You can keep it on in the shower, at the gym, at the sea or in the pool; rinse it in clean water after the sea or the pool. Perfume and chlorine wear the gold-tone plating over time, so put perfume on first.