Parts of a Necklace: Every Part Explained, From Clasp to Bail

A necklace looks like one piece. It's actually five or six, working together. There's the chain, the clasp that closes it, the tiny rings that join everything up, and, if you wear a pendant, the bail that holds it in place.

Most people never need the names. But the moment you're choosing a chain for a pendant, buying one as a gift, or trying to work out why something keeps coming undone, knowing the parts makes the whole thing simpler. Here's every part of a necklace, what it's called, and what it actually does. 

A pendant, a bail and a chain: the three parts most necklaces are built from. Featured: the Compass pendant.

Jump to:

• Every part of a necklace, at a glance
• The chain, and why it matters most
• What the clasp is called (and which type is best)
• Jump rings and end rings
• Pendants and charms
• The bail: the part that holds a pendant
• The parts of a pendant
• What to check before you buy
• FAQs

The Parts of a Necklace at a Glance

Not every necklace has every part. A plain chain has four. A pendant necklace adds two more. Here's the full list, in the order you'd find them.

The Chain

The chain is the foundation. Everything else hangs off it, fastens to it or finishes it. Wear one on its own and it's the whole look. Add a pendant and it becomes the frame.

A chain is simply a run of links joined one to the next, and the way those links connect is what gives each style its name and character. A Cuban uses interlocking oval links that are twisted to lie flat. A rope twists its links into a spiral. A box chain uses square links that give it a clean, structured line. Our guide to types of men's chains goes through every style properly.

The chain is the foundation. Featured: the 2mm Connell chain.

Three things about the chain decide how a necklace looks and wears:

• Link style: the pattern of the links, which sets the character of the piece.
• Width (or gauge): measured in millimetres across the chain. A 2mm chain is subtle; a 4mm chain has real presence.
• Length: measured end to end, clasp included. 50cm is our most popular length and sits just below the collarbone.

Not sure which length is right? Our chain length guide shows where each length sits on the body.

Width and link style change how a chain sits. Featured: the 4mm Cuban chain.

Cords and strands

Not every necklace uses a metal chain. A cord necklace swaps the chain for leather, waxed cotton or braided thread, which gives a softer, more handmade look. A strand is a line of beads or pearls threaded onto a strong cord or wire, which is how pearl necklaces are made. Both still need a way to close, and both usually finish with end caps or knots rather than an open link.

A strung necklace: pearls on a thread, closed with a clasp. Featured: the Rounded Real Pearl Necklace.

Our Rounded Real Pearl Necklace is a good example: real freshwater pearls, hand-strung, and finished with an adjustable lobster clasp that sits anywhere between 48cm and 53cm. For more on how pearl pieces are made and worn, see why men wear pearl necklaces.

The Clasp

The clasp is the fastening at the back of the neck, and it's the part that does the most work. Every time you put a necklace on or take it off, the clasp takes the strain. A good one feels secure the moment it closes. A poor one is the reason chains go missing.

A lobster clasp and end ring. Featured: the 2mm Round Box chain.

These are the types you'll come across most:

• Lobster clasp: a small spring-loaded hook, shaped a little like a lobster's claw. You pull back a lever, hook it on and let go. It's the most common clasp on men's chains because it's secure and easy to use one-handed.
• Spring ring: a round ring with a tiny sliding catch. Common on fine, lightweight chains, but fiddly to open.
• Box clasp: a tab that clicks into a small box, often with a safety catch on the side. It's typical on tennis chains and heavier chains, where it sits flush with the links.
• Toggle: a bar that slips through a ring and sits across it. It's as much a design feature as a fastening, and often worn at the front.
• Hook (or S-hook): a simple hook that drops into a loop. Easy to use, but it relies on tension to stay closed.
• Magnetic clasp: two magnets that pull together. The easiest to use, and the least secure under a sudden tug.

Our chains are secured with snap-proof clasps, a lobster clasp on our everyday chains. It's the part we'd least want to cut corners on, because it's the part that keeps the chain on you.

Tennis chains close with a clasp built into the line of stones. Featured: the 3mm Tennis chain.

Jump Rings and End Rings

These are the smallest parts of a necklace, and the ones almost nobody notices until one fails.

A jump ring is a small circle of metal that joins two parts together, most often the clasp to the end of the chain. It has a tiny split so it can be opened and closed. That split is also its weak point: if a necklace is pulled hard, the jump ring is usually what opens first.

The end ring sits at the opposite end of the chain. It's the loop, or sometimes a small flat tag, that the clasp hooks onto. On some necklaces the end ring carries the maker's mark or a metal stamp. Our guide to what 925 means on jewellery explains what those stamps tell you.

Some necklaces also have an extender: a short length of chain fitted beside the clasp, so you can wear the necklace a little shorter or longer. It's useful if you're between lengths, or you want to layer two chains at slightly different heights.

The Pendant

If the chain is the frame, the pendant is the picture. It's the piece that hangs at the front, catches the eye and, more often than not, carries the meaning. A compass for direction. A cross for faith. A Saint Christopher for protection on the road.

The pendant, and the bail that joins it to the chain. Featured: the Compass pendant.

You'll hear a few words used for the same idea:

• Pendant: a single piece that hangs from the chain, usually on a bail. The focal point of the necklace.
• Charm: smaller, often one of several, and usually attached with a jump ring rather than a bail.
• Medallion: a flat, coin-like pendant, often engraved or carved in relief.

Most of our pendants come with the chain included, so they're ready to wear the moment they arrive. The Compass, for example, hangs from a 3mm link chain on a premium silver bail. For the story behind the most popular symbols, see our guides to the Compass necklace and the most powerful religious pendants for men.

The Bail

This is the part most people can't name, and the one they search for most. The bail is the loop, ring or tube fixed to the top of a pendant. The chain runs through it, and it's what holds the pendant on the necklace.

A hidden bail keeps the focus on the pendant. Featured: the Angel pendant.

It sounds like a small detail, but the bail decides two things: how the pendant hangs, and which chains it will fit. The main types are:

• Fixed bail: part of the pendant itself, so it can't swivel. It keeps the pendant facing forward.
• Loop bail: a ring attached to the top of the pendant, which lets it move and turn with you.
• Hidden bail: set behind the top of the pendant so it can't be seen from the front. The chain seems to pass straight through the piece.
• Tube bail: a short tube the chain slides through, which gives a clean, modern line.

Our Angel pendant uses a hidden silver bail, so nothing interrupts the carved figure. The Compass uses a visible bail that sits as part of the design.

One thing to check: the opening in the bail has to be wide enough for the chain, and for the clasp to pass through when you thread it on. A heavy chain won't always fit a small pendant, which is why pendants that come with their own chain are the simplest option.

The Parts of a Pendant

A pendant has its own anatomy too. Not every pendant has every part, but these are the names worth knowing:

• Bail: the loop at the top that holds it on the chain.
• Face: the front of the pendant, where the design, carving or engraving sits.
• Frame or bezel: the raised edge around the face, or the metal rim that holds a stone in place.
• Setting: the way a stone is held, such as prongs or a cabochon inlay.
• Back: often plain, sometimes stamped with the maker's mark or engraved with a message.

When you're choosing a pendant, the face tells you what it means and the setting tells you how well it's made. A stone should sit firmly with no movement, and a carved face should feel crisp rather than soft around the edges.

What to Check Before You Buy

Knowing the parts makes it easy to spot a necklace that's built to last. Before you buy, check five things:

• The clasp: it should close with a firm click and open easily with one hand. A lobster clasp is the safest everyday choice.
• The jump ring: it should be fully closed, with no visible gap for the chain to slip through.
• The bail: it should be wide enough for the chain you plan to wear, and hang the pendant straight.
• The length: measure a chain you already own, or use our chain length guide. 50cm suits most men; 55cm to 60cm sits lower, and works well with a pendant.
• The finish: look for protection against scratches and fading. Our chains are finished with scratch-resistant protection, and most with fade-resistant protection too, so they keep their look with everyday wear.

If a chain ever does knot around its own clasp, our guide on how to untangle a necklace covers every method that works.

Where the Parts Came From

Necklaces are among the oldest jewellery we know of. The earliest were strands of shells, beads, teeth and bone, tied with cord, with no clasp at all. Metal chains came much later, and by the Middle Ages gold chains hung with pendants and set with gemstones had become a sign of status and wealth.

Most of the parts we use today, like the jump ring, the bail and the spring-loaded clasp, grew out of one simple need: to make a necklace easy to put on and hard to lose. That's still the test worth applying to anything you buy.

Parts of a Necklace: FAQs

What are the parts of a necklace called?

Most necklaces are built from a chain (or a cord or strand of beads), a clasp that opens and closes it, jump rings that join the parts together, and an end ring the clasp hooks onto. Pendant necklaces add a pendant and a bail, the loop that holds the pendant on the chain. Some also have an extender or end caps.

What is the thing that holds a pendant on a necklace called?

It's called a bail. The bail is the loop, ring or tube fixed to the top of the pendant, and the chain passes through it. A hidden bail sits behind the pendant so you can't see it from the front.

What is the part of a pendant the chain goes through?

The bail. The opening inside it has to be wide enough for the chain, and in particular for the clasp to pass through, which is why a heavy chain won't always fit a small pendant.

What is the clasp on a necklace called?

The fastening is called a clasp. The most common type is the lobster clasp, a small spring-loaded hook shaped like a lobster's claw. Others include the spring ring, box clasp, toggle, hook and magnetic clasp.

What is the back of a necklace called?

The back of a necklace is usually just called the clasp or the closure, since that's where it opens. The small loop or tag the clasp hooks onto is called the end ring.

What is the difference between a pendant and a charm?

A pendant hangs on its own, usually from a bail, and is the focal point of the necklace. A charm is smaller and often one of several, usually attached with a jump ring. In practice the words overlap, but a single statement piece on a chain is a pendant.

What is a jump ring on a necklace?

A jump ring is a small metal ring that joins two parts together, for example the clasp to the end of the chain. It's the part most likely to open if a necklace is pulled hard, so it's worth checking it's closed tight.

What is a necklace extender?

An extender is a short length of chain fitted at the clasp end, so you can wear the necklace a little longer or shorter. It's useful if you're between lengths or want to layer two chains at different heights.

Where to Go From Here

Once you know the parts, choosing a necklace gets simpler. Start with the chain, because it does the most work, then decide whether it needs a pendant to finish it.

Explore our men's chains and men's pendants, or read our guide to the best chains for men to find the one that suits you.