Men's Gold-Tone Pendant Chains

Men's gold pendant chains: gold-tone sets in steel

These are pendant necklaces in a gold-tone finish: a gold-colored plating over stainless steel or titanium steel. The color is warm and the steel underneath is strong, which keeps the price where it is. To be clear on what you're buying: this is gold-tone plated steel, not gold.

Every piece comes with its chain, and in most sets the chain is plated in the same tone as the pendant, so the color matches from clasp to pendant.

What "gold-tone" means on this page

Gold-tone is a thin colored layer bonded to the steel. It gives the yellow color of gold jewelry without the cost of the metal. Plating is a surface finish, so how long it looks new depends on how you wear it (see care below). If you want a necklace with no plating at all, the bare steel versions are in our silver pendant chains.

Gold-tone pendants, by style

• Crosses in gold-tone. From the slim 4.4 cm cross on a Figaro chain (22" or 24") to the 6 cm block cross of the classic cross pendant. More cross styles in cross pendant chains.
• Medallions. Saint Michael (oval, 39 x 20 mm), Saint Benedict (about 24.5 mm round), the Archangel medallion on a snake chain, and the lion head medallion, 40 x 55 mm with a cubic zirconia halo, the boldest gold piece here.
• Compass and geometric pendants. A 20 mm engraved compass on a 53 cm chain, the 40 x 5 mm bar on a 60 cm box chain, an octagonal square with a black inlay, an arrowhead on a wheat chain.

Full gold-tone or two-tone?

Full gold-tone is the classic look: one warm color, easy to read from across a room. Two-tone pieces mix it with steel or black, which makes the gold less loud and easier to wear with a steel watch. Two options here:

• The two-tone inlaid cross, in Silver / Gold or Black / Gold, 48 x 32 mm, with one cubic zirconia at the base.
• The cross with cable inlay, offered in Silver / Gold on a 55 cm (22") chain.

Wearing gold-tone with the rest of your jewelry

Keep everything warm. A gold-tone pendant next to a silver-tone watch and bracelet looks like a mistake unless the pendant is two-tone. If you wear a steel watch every day, either pick a two-tone pendant or go for silver-tone.

Gold-tone stands out most against dark colors: navy, black, olive, brown. On a white T-shirt it's quieter. For a second chain, add a plain gold-tone chain about 2 inches (5 cm) shorter than the pendant chain; our gold chains collection has them without pendants.

How to make gold-tone plating last

• Put the necklace on last, after perfume, cologne and lotion.
• You can wear it in the shower, at the sea or in the pool. Rinse it in clean water after the sea or the pool, dry it, and keep cleaning products off it. Chlorine is the hardest thing on plating over time.
• Wipe it with a soft dry cloth after a hot day or the gym.
• Store it alone or in a pouch, so other pieces don't scratch the surface.
• No abrasive polish or jewelry dip: they can remove the color layer.