An antique necklace is one of the easiest pieces of old jewellery to wear and one of the most rewarding to buy, provided you know what to look at. The short answer: date it by its clasp, chain construction and marks; check the length suits you; and make sure the chain and pendant belong together or are honestly described. This guide walks through each of those, era by era, with pieces from our own antique and vintage necklaces.
In brief
- Clasps are the quickest clue to age: barrel and box clasps are older, spring rings mostly from about 1900.
- Gold chains are often marked only on the clasp or a tag, so look there for hallmarks.
- Most antique necklaces sit at 40–50cm, on or just below the collarbone.
- A pendant on a later chain is common and fine, as long as the dealer says so.
What counts as an antique necklace?
In the trade, "antique" means at least 100 years old, so today anything made before the mid-1920s. "Vintage" usually covers the decades since, from Art Deco to the 1980s. Both can be wonderful to wear; the distinction matters mainly for value and for knowing what you are looking at.
Necklaces fall into two broad families. There are chains worn alone or with a pendant, and there are "designed" necklaces, where the links, drops and stones form a single composition. Each era favoured different versions of both, which is what makes dating possible.
Antique necklaces era by era
Georgian (1714–1837): devotion and delicacy
Georgian chains are typically fine, hand-made and light, because gold was precious and craftsmanship was cheap. Devotional pendants were especially popular in France, where the Saint-Esprit, a descending dove for the Holy Spirit, was a beloved jewel. Our French Saint-Esprit Necklace of about 1830 sets its dove with pearls and green pastes, hanging from a light 14K gold chain with a barrel clasp.
Paste, meaning finely cut glass, was not a cheap substitute in this period. It was set with the same care as gemstones and is collected in its own right. For more on the candlelit look of the era, see our guide to Georgian rose cut diamonds and foiled settings.
Victorian and fin de siècle (1837–1901): colour and movement
As the 19th century went on, chains grew more varied and machine-assisted, and necklaces with coloured stones and drops became fashionable. Our Austrian Citrine Drop Necklace, made in Vienna around 1900, has a rosy 14K gold chain of alternating figure-of-eight links, leading to two pear-shaped citrine drops joined by seed pearls.
Pieces like this show why marks matter. It carries the Austro-Hungarian fox mark, used for gold assayed between 1874 and 1922, plus a Vienna city mark, which together place it firmly in time and place.
Old techniques that lasted into the 20th century
Not every country moved at the same pace. In the Netherlands, jewellers carried Georgian methods, such as foil-backed rose cut diamonds in silver-topped gold, well into the 1900s. Our Dutch Rose Cut Diamond Necklace of about 1900 sets 69 rose cut diamonds through interlinked floral links, centred on a drop diamond of approximately 1 carat.
A lighter take on the same tradition is the Holthuis Diamond Pendant Necklace, made around 1900 by the Arnhem jeweller W.A. Holthuis. Its leafy pendant still hangs from its original .800 silver chain, with a small adjuster, and it comes in its original orange velvet box.
Art Nouveau and Edwardian (c.1895–1915): line and lightness
The early 20th century brought two moods. Edwardian jewellery favoured platinum, garlands and lace-like delicacy, which we cover in our Edwardian jewellery guide. Art Nouveau, meanwhile, prized enamel, flowing line and hand craftsmanship over the size of the stones.
Our Antique Limoges Enamel Necklace of about 1910 is a fine example: an 18K gold openwork crescent with a tapered drop, set with two enamel plaques signed by Thoumieux of Limoges, their colours shifting like opal.
Art Deco (c.1920–1940): geometry and white metal
Art Deco necklaces are cleaner and more linear, usually in platinum or white gold, with drops that hang straight like a plumb line. Strictly speaking, later Deco pieces are now vintage rather than antique, but they belong in any serious collection. Our Art Deco jewellery guide explains the style in depth.
Our French Art Deco Diamond Necklace from the 1930s is a graduated, articulated drop of three diamonds, about 1.8 carats in all, in 18K white gold with the French eagle's head mark.
Antique chain types to know
Learning a few link names makes listings much easier to read, and helps you spot a chain that is later than its pendant.
- Trace (or anchor) chain: simple oval links at right angles to each other; the most common chain of all eras.
- Belcher: a trace chain with wider, rounder, D-section links; popular in Victorian England.
- Curb: twisted links that lie flat; the classic Victorian watch chain, often converted to necklaces.
- Figure-of-eight and fancy links: decorative patterns, often alternating, that suggest a piece designed as a whole.
- Rope and fetter chains: twisted or long-and-short links, frequent in 19th-century gold.
Hand-made links are rarely perfectly identical, and solder joins may be visible under a loupe. Very even, machine-perfect links on a "Georgian" chain are a reason to ask questions.
Clasps: the quickest clue to age
Clasps wore out and were often replaced, so treat them as a clue rather than proof. Even so, they are where most dealers look first.
- Barrel (screw) clasps: two threaded halves; common in the late Georgian and Victorian periods.
- Box clasps: a tongue that clicks into a box, often with a safety catch; used from the 18th century onwards and typical of fine necklaces.
- Spring rings and bolt rings: the round clasps found on most chains from around 1900 onwards.
- Lobster clasps: largely a later 20th-century development, so usually a replacement on an antique piece.
A later clasp does not spoil a necklace; it often makes it safer to wear. What matters is that it is described honestly.
Marks, metal and how to verify a necklace
Chains are awkward to mark, so look on the clasp, the bolt ring or a small tag near it. British gold may show a carat mark such as 9, 15 or 18; the 15ct and 12ct standards were only legal between 1854 and 1932, which helps with dating. Continental pieces carry their own marks, such as the French eagle's head for 18K gold.
Many antique chains, especially continental and earlier British ones, carry no marks at all. In that case a reputable dealer will test the metal and tell you the result. Our guide to antique jewellery eras covers marks and dating clues more broadly.
Length and how to wear an antique necklace
Older necklaces tend to be shorter than modern ones, and most sit between 40 and 50cm (16 to 19.5 inches). As a rough guide, 35–40cm is choker length, 42–48cm rests on the collarbone, and 50–60cm falls just below it. Measure a necklace you already love before buying.
A chain with an adjuster, or one that can be lengthened by a jeweller with matching links, gives you flexibility. Layering an antique pendant with a plain chain is also a lovely way to wear old jewelry with modern clothes.
Condition: what to check before you buy
Look for stretched or thinned links, especially near the clasp, where wear concentrates. Check that drops move freely, stones are secure and enamel is free of large losses. With foiled stones, avoid getting the back wet, as moisture damages the foil.
A pendant on a later chain is very common and perfectly acceptable, as is a later clasp. The key is transparency. Every piece we list gives its marks, length and weight, and we are always happy to send a detailed condition report and extra photographs. You can also see pieces in Shoreditch, by appointment.
If you are drawn to pendants in particular, our pendants and lockets collection includes many that can be worn on a chain of your choice.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if an antique gold chain is real gold?
Look for a carat or assay mark on the clasp or a tag, and check the marks against their country of origin. Unmarked chains are common in antique jewellery, so ask the dealer whether the metal has been tested and what the result was.
What is the best length for an antique necklace?
Most antique necklaces are 40–50cm, sitting on or just below the collarbone. Measure a favourite necklace you already own and compare it with the listed length, allowing a little extra for the drop of any pendant.
Can I wear an antique necklace every day?
Many, yes. Solid gold chains with sound clasps are hardy. Take more care with fine chains, enamel and foiled stones, and take any necklace off for swimming, bathing and sleeping.
Does a replaced clasp or chain reduce value?
A little, for important pieces, but replacements are common and often make a necklace safer to wear. What matters most is that the dealer tells you clearly what is original and what is later.