Necklace Length Chart: Where Every Length Sits, and Why It Changes on You
Necklace lengths from a 14-inch collar to a 36-inch rope, how to measure, and the simple rule that shows where any chain will sit on your own neck.
Necklace lengths run from about 14 inches, which sits tight at the base of the neck, to 36 inches or more, long enough to wrap twice. The most common length for women is 18 inches, which rests at or just below the collarbone.
The chart below shows where each length usually falls. "Usually" matters: the same chain sits higher on a fuller neck and lower on a slimmer one, and there's a quick way to work out where it will sit on yours.
Necklace lengths at a glance
| Length | Name | Where it usually sits |
|---|---|---|
| 14 in (36 cm) | Collar or short choker | Tight at the base of the neck |
| 16 in (41 cm) | Choker | At the base of the neck |
| 18 in (46 cm) | Princess | At or just below the collarbone |
| 20 in (51 cm) | Matinee | Just below the collarbone |
| 24 in (61 cm) | Matinee | At the top of the bust |
| 30 in (76 cm) | Opera | Below the bust |
| 36 in (91 cm) and longer | Rope | Long enough to double or knot |
The names describe ranges, and jewelers don't all draw the lines in the same place. One guide's princess length is 17 to 18 inches; another's is simply 18. So shop by the inches, not the name.
Why the same chain sits differently on you
A chain has to go around your neck before any of it can hang down, so the size of your neck decides how much is left over. Jewelers use a quick rule: take the chain length, subtract your neck measurement, and halve what's left. That's roughly how far the chain will hang below the base of your neck.
| Your neck | 16-inch chain | 18-inch chain | 20-inch chain | 24-inch chain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 in | 1½ in | 2½ in | 3½ in | 5½ in |
| 14 in | 1 in | 2 in | 3 in | 5 in |
| 15 in | ½ in | 1½ in | 2½ in | 4½ in |
| 16 in | Tight | 1 in | 2 in | 4 in |
| 17 in | Too short | ½ in | 1½ in | 3½ in |
So the same 18-inch chain hangs about 2½ inches on a 13-inch neck and only about an inch on a 16-inch neck. If a length on the chart looks as if it will sit too high on you, go up a size. Treat the rule as a guide, not a measurement: the slope of your shoulders and chest, and the weight of the chain, move things a little.
How to measure your neck, or a necklace
- Your neck: wrap a soft tape measure around the base of your neck, snug but not tight. No tape? Use a piece of string, then lay it against a ruler.
- A necklace you already own: lay it flat in a straight line with no kinks, and measure from end to end, clasp included. Necklace lengths are always given with the clasp included.
- Where you'd like it to sit: hold a piece of string around your neck so the bottom of the loop falls where you want the necklace, then measure the string.
Where a pendant really hangs
A chain's length tells you where the chain bottoms out, not where the pendant ends up. The pendant hangs below that point by its own height plus the bail, the small loop it hangs from, and a heavier pendant pulls the chain a little lower still. So a pendant on an 18-inch chain always sits below the chart's 18-inch line.
If you want the pendant itself to rest at your collarbone, you may need a chain one size shorter than you'd wear on its own. That goes for a solitaire pendant and an initial pendant alike, and for all our diamond pendants.
Choosing a length
There's no wrong answer, but a few pairings are easy:
- High necklines, like a crew or boat neck: a shorter length, a choker or a princess, sits just above the fabric.
- V-necks: an 18-inch chain, or a pendant that falls into the V.
- Scoop and strapless necklines: these leave room for almost any length. A choker frames the neck; a longer chain fills the open space.
A tennis necklace is stiffer than a fine chain, so it follows the curve of your neck instead of dropping into a V. That's why tennis necklaces are usually worn at 16 or 18 inches, where the line of diamonds sits flat and even. See our diamond tennis necklace. The same thinking works for a station necklace or a bar necklace: choose the length that puts the detail where you want it to rest.
Men's chains usually run longer, and 20 inches is a common choice.
Buying a necklace as a gift
If you don't know their size, 18 inches is the safest choice, since it's the most common women's length. An adjustable chain gives you room either way: many have small rings along the back so the clasp can close at more than one length, and an extender can add a couple of inches.
All our lab grown diamond necklaces are delivered insured, and someone 21 or older has to sign for them. If the length isn't right, you have 30 days from delivery to send a piece back, with a free, prepaid, insured return label in the US. Custom and engraved pieces are final sale.
