Gold colour or silver colour
Every necklace gets a Gold Plated or Rhodium Plated finish. Gold Plated gives a warm, golden shine. Rhodium is a precious metal from the platinum group. It gives silver a bright, cool shine and slows down tarnish. One style combines 925 sterling silver with gold filled. Gold filled is a thick layer of gold alloy bonded to a core with pressure and heat. That layer is much thicker and more durable than thin gold plating.
Which chains are there and how do you recognise them?
The chain decides the character of your necklace. Two necklaces of the same length look very different because of their chain. One sparkles, the other lies flat and sleek on your skin. Below you can read what each type does.
A ball chain consists of small beads. In a faceted ball chain, these beads are cut, so they catch the light from every side. Customers call this necklace fine and sparkling, and especially beautiful with a pendant on it. A serpentine chain, also called a snake chain, is smooth and supple. It glides over your neck like a ribbon.
A rope chain looks like a twisted rope. Thanks to that twist, it shines with every move. A curb chain has flat links that lie slightly twisted into each other. An anchor chain consists of oval links that alternate direction, just like the anchor chain of a boat. Many people also know this chain as a cable chain.
A wheat chain is made of braided links that together look like an ear of wheat. That makes it look full yet refined. A herringbone chain has flat links in a fishbone pattern. It lies like a shiny band on your collarbone. This chain comes in 45 and 50 cm. Always store it flat, because a herringbone chain does not like kinks.
Fine or eye catching
Want a calm base? Then choose an anchor, curb or ball chain. They go with everything and are light to wear. Looking for more shine or a statement? Then rope, wheat and herringbone are strong choices. They stand out straight away, even without a pendant.
A gemstone necklace
A gemstone necklace adds colour to your look. You will find two types here. The first is a beaded necklace with 2 mm beads and gemstone. The second is a chain with a separate pendant with stone. Both give your neckline a cheerful or calm accent, depending on the stone you choose.
The beaded necklaces are super fine, with beads of only 2 mm. Yet you can see the colour of the stone clearly. They also come in a version with pearls. These are the specs at a glance:
- 2 mm beads with natural stone or pearl
- Length 42 cm plus a 2 cm extension chain
- Gold Plated or Rhodium Plated finish
- Chains in 42, 45, 50, 60, 70 and 80 cm, sometimes 90 cm
Thanks to the extension chain, you can wear the beaded necklace at 42, 43 or 44 cm. That way you match the length to your neckline or to another necklace you wear with it.
Natural stone is always unique
Most stones are natural semiprecious stones. Sometimes it is Hydro Quartz. This is natural crystal that gets its colour through heating. Now and then we choose a synthetic stone, when a seasonal colour calls for it. The product page shows the type of each stone.
Natural stone has small inclusions and colour differences. That is not a flaw, but proof of a real stone. As a result, your stone may look slightly different from the photo. So you always wear a necklace that no one else has in exactly the same way.
What does a necklace with stone mean?
According to old traditions, every stone has its own meaning. In lore, rose quartz stands for love. Amethyst has long been seen as a stone of calm. Tiger eye and onyx are linked in traditions to strength and courage. Citrine is called the stone of prosperity in lore, and moonstone is often associated with feminine energy.
Important to know: these meanings come from tradition and stories. Any effect is not scientifically proven. So choose your stone mainly by colour and feeling. A warm stone with gold colour, a cool stone with silver colour: that almost always works.
Separate pendants: your necklace, your choice
A pendant is separate from the necklace, so you choose each one on its own. That is the idea behind Mix & Match. You take a chain you love and hang a gemstone pendant on it. Tomorrow you swap it for another colour. With just a few pieces, you get lots of different looks.
Good to know: the pendant gemstones also fit as earring gemstones, and the other way round. So you can wear the same stone in your ear and around your neck. In the Mix & Match Studio you design your own jewellery. We introduced the studio in 2024, the year of our tenth anniversary.
Which necklace works with a pendant?
A pendant needs a necklace with a fine chain that the loop slides over easily. A faceted ball chain, an anchor chain or a curb chain does this best. A herringbone is flat and wide, so it is better worn without a pendant.
Which necklace length suits you?
The ideal length depends on your neck and your clothes. This guideline works well. A 42 cm necklace falls just below the neck. At 45 cm it sits on the collarbone, the length most women wear most often. At 50 cm the necklace falls just below the collarbone.
From 60 cm it becomes a long necklace. That is ideal for layering or for wearing over a polo neck. At 70, 80 or 90 cm the necklace hangs down to your chest or lower. That instantly gives a simple dress or jumper more line.
Tip for your neckline
Do you often wear a round neck? Then choose 42 or 45 cm so the necklace falls above the fabric. With a V neck, 50 cm looks lovely because the necklace follows the shape of the neckline. And with a high neck or polo neck, choose 60 cm or longer. In doubt? Lay a piece of string around your neck and measure the length you like.
Combining necklaces into a layered look
Layering means wearing several necklaces in different lengths at once. The secret is space between the lengths. Keep at least 5 cm difference, so they stay neatly apart. A combination of 42, 50 and 60 cm gives three clear layers.
Vary the chain too. A fine gemstone beaded necklace next to a shiny rope chain creates contrast. Put the weight at the bottom: wear the heaviest chain longest. That way everything hangs nicely and the necklaces tangle less quickly.
Dare to mix gold and silver as well. A gold coloured and a silver coloured necklace together look modern. Repeat that mix in your earrings or bracelet, and the whole look feels deliberately chosen.
What determines the price of a necklace?
The price of a necklace depends mainly on material, chain and length. Stainless steel is cheap. Solid gold is much more expensive. In between sits 925 sterling silver with gold coloured or silver coloured plating.
The chain matters too. A thick herringbone or wheat chain needs more silver and more work than a thin anchor chain. And a long 80 cm necklace simply contains more metal than a short 42 cm one. So do not just look at the price, but also at what you get for it.
How to keep your necklace beautiful
A few fixed habits keep your necklace beautiful for years. Take it off when you shower, swim, exercise and sleep. Apply your perfume and body lotion first and only then put on your necklace. That way fewer chemicals reach the plating.
Store each necklace separately, ideally flat or hanging. That prevents knots and scratches. Polish with a dry, soft cloth and avoid harsh products. Silver can darken because of sulphur in the air. A rhodium layer slows that down, and a polishing cloth removes light tarnish.
Designed in the Netherlands, shipped with care
Sparkling Jewels has been a jewellery brand from the Netherlands since 2014. The designs are created in the Netherlands and made in workshops in Italy, Bangkok and Hong Kong. More than 500 jewellers and retailers across Europe sell the jewellery. The After Dawn collection is new.
Order on a working day before 15:00 and your necklace leaves the same day. International shipping is free from €100, and within the Netherlands from €75. Your necklace always arrives beautifully wrapped, ready to give. Want to exchange it after all? You have 14 days to return it, as long as the necklace is unworn and the labels are still attached.
You get a 2 year warranty on manufacturing defects and 6 months on the plating. Prefer to see and feel first? Visit the showroom at Botterweg 12 L in Zwolle, the Netherlands, or call +31 38 853 6655. You are welcome between 9:00 and 17:00.
Frequently asked questions about women's necklaces
Which necklace length do women choose most?
Most women choose 45 cm. That length sits on the collarbone and suits almost every neckline. Want it higher? Then choose 42 cm.
What is the ideal length for a necklace with a pendant?
For a necklace with a pendant, 45 or 50 cm works best. The pendant then falls nicely in the middle of your neckline, just on or below your collarbone.
Can I hang a separate pendant on any necklace?
Yes, a separate pendant fits on almost any fine chain. A ball chain, anchor chain or curb chain is ideal. A flat herringbone is better worn without a pendant.
How long is a gemstone beaded necklace?
The beaded necklace with 2 mm beads is 42 cm long. With the 2 cm extension chain, you can wear it up to 44 cm.
Are the gemstones real?
Most stones are natural semiprecious stones. Sometimes it is Hydro Quartz or, for a seasonal colour, a synthetic stone. The product page shows the type of each stone.
Can I shower or swim with my necklace on?
No, take your necklace off when you shower and swim. Water, soap and chlorine wear down the plating faster. That way your necklace stays beautiful for longer.
Does a silver necklace change colour?
Silver can darken because of sulphur in the air. The rhodium finish slows that down. You can polish away light tarnish with a soft polishing cloth.
Where can you buy Sparkling Jewels necklaces?
You can order Sparkling Jewels necklaces online right here in lengths from 42 to 90 cm, with separate pendants to match. The collection is also sold by more than 500 jewellers and retailers across Europe. Online you can always choose from every chain, length and pendant that is available now.
