G
old chains are, of course, great classics. But within the category, there is always one type at the forefront. For example, in recent years, the paper clip chain, with its elongated links, became a staple in countless jewelry designers’ collections. In the mid-20th century, the bold gold curb link was popular. And in ancient times, handwoven gold loop-in-loop chains dominated.
Header image courtesy of Buddha Mama
Now, gold ball chains have rolled back into the top position.
Retrouvai
Image courtesy of Buddha Mama
Now, gold ball chains have rolled back into the top position. A straightforward textbook definition of the chain has gold balls connected by short straight bars. The last time the style became the top choice was during the 1990s and early aughts.
Image courtesy of Lionheart
Cartier was the most high profile jeweler tossing around gold ball chains back in the day. I vividly remember previewing the French firm’s innovative Nouvelle Vague line in 1999. It felt radical for the legendary jeweler to take the ball chain, typically used for steel necklaces like military dog tags or office ID chains, and transform it into gold jewelry. The high-low connection is part of what made the collection so cool. It was like street style, before it was called street style.
Today, several COUTURE designers, including BUDDHA MAMA, LIONHEART, RETROUVAÍ and ROBINSON PELHAM, have both reimagined gold ball chains and worked within the style’s classic mode.
Image courtesy of Retrouvaí
Retrouvaí
Kirsty Stone, the designer and founder of Retrouvaí, is always tweaking classics in her own colorful jewelry vocabulary. I am thinking of her whimsical signet rings and specially cut gem set lollipop and yin-yang cocktail rings that each have a cult following.
Image courtesy of Retrouvaí
Now Kirsty has totally revamped the ball chain with her Cascading Domino Ball Chain which is handmade in her Los Angeles based studio. It features a repetitive pattern of small to large gold balls
Image courtesy of Retrouvaí
The concept behind the balls is the equivalent of a think piece in jewelry. “The Domino collection represents the idea that even small actions can create large impact,” explains Kirsty. “Everything starts somewhere.”
Image courtesy of Buddha Mama
Buddha Mama
Buddha Mama is always about good vibes jewelry and luxury in an easy-to-wear way. The label, which is guided by Nancy Badia and her daughter Dakota, is filled with fun and symbolic motifs like stars, hearts, little buddhas, peace signs and hamsas. All the worked is luxuriously rendered in 22-karat gold lit up with diamonds as well as colorful gems and enamels.
Image courtesy of Buddha Mama
When it comes to ball chains, Buddha Mama brings the party by hammering the balls in the chains which makes light bounce off of them. They rechristened the style Disco Balls setting a mood for clients to boogie down when they toss them on.
Image courtesy of Buddha Mama
The dancing ball designs come in super glam multi-strand necklaces with diamond star clasps, sexy single strands interspersed with diamond stations and bold bracelets with pavé-set diamond lobster claw clasps.
Image courtesy of Robinson Pelham
Robinson Pelham
The Robinson Pelham collection is filled with joyful jewelry going up and down the price scale. They have a library of studs for multiple piercings, big chunky gold link necklaces and all kinds of cheerful styles in between like ball chains.
Image courtesy of Robinson Pelham
The gold balls in the chains from the British jeweler come in two sizes: small and smaller. The tiniest gold balls in the Rock Chain are so wee that you can barely tell they are balls in the photos here, but they are—and they are adorable. This chain can be worn alone or paired with a pendant, like the Cipher Tag, which features a Morse code message rendered in diamonds.
Image courtesy of Robinson Pelham
The chain with two-millimeter gold balls resembles the steel ball chains that military personnel wear with their dog tags. The gold tags on the British jeweler’s creations are covered in blue sapphires, pink sapphires or tsavorites.
Image courtesy of Lionheart
Lionheart
Designer and creative director Joy Haugaard weaves her love of vintage jewelry and minimalism throughout the Lionheart collection. The vintage pieces include various swallow styles, nodding to the bird that flew in late 19th-century brooches. And the ball chains are a hat tip to the modern mode.
Image courtesy of Lionheart
The Lionheart Ball Link necklaces feature three-millimeter balls and are available in three lengths: 16, 16.5 and 18 inches. Each one has a diamond that weighs between 1 to 1.25-carats, in a radiant, round or pear shape.
Image courtesy of Lionheart
Author of The Adventurine on Substack, Marion Fasel is a veteran trend forecaster and jewelry historian. She has written 11 books on 20th century jewelry, including The History of Diamond Engagement Rings: A True Romance.
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