16 Best Gold Chains for Men 2025: Necklaces for Every Budget

Plated in 14k gold, which has a deep gold tone to it, this style is a perfect daily driver that doesn’t need extras or further embellishment, but would also be a foolproof addition to a more layered chain look. The interesting links aren’t the usual box or paperclip style, but they’re also not as loud as a curb chain. The sweet spot.

As the name suggests, box chains use square-shaped links that alternate to make a very closely joined chain. (The result is a more fluid and consistent style that has very few discernable gaps.). This exemplary option is cast from 18k gold, which gives a deep yellow luster, helping the flatter box links to still shine beautifully.

Another 14k plated option here, in a simple paperclip chain style that has ever so slight facets—meaning any close up admirers will see that your taste level is just that bit more elevated.

If a box link is squared off, the rolo link is its circular brother. You still have the close-linked, fluid feeling you get with the box, but with more apparent spacing in between. This is an option that is squarely (or roundly) in the middle of the others on this list, and it’s also made by Tom Wood, who make some of the most precise, simple jewelry, sans frills for maximum thrills.

Expletive but not excessive—take a look at the engraving—this is a simple pendant that at first glance is an elegant oval that evokes a locket, but at a second (closer) glance, also becomes a playful, firm bit of metal-based messaging.

Alighieri are one of the best in the game at offering handcrafted jewelry that would look as at home in a museum of Roman artefacts as they do about your person. This style, to quote the brand, utilises a lion motif to remind the wearer to be “strong in moments of self-doubt.” Affirming or not, it’s a beautiful object to carry with you daily.

These days, it’s almost impossible to put together a list of good jewelry without Bleue Burnham making the cut. All of their pieces are made from sustainably sourced metals and ethical, lab grown stones, but that’s only relevant because the designs also look this damn special—like this one, which recreates the texture of bound willow branches.

While traditional forms like circular pendants and lockets will always have their place, there’s a whole world of more natural, sculptural pieces out there if you want to create a new tradition. Thanks to Madewell, that can also happen without obliterating your budget.

We’ve had a lion, and now we’ve got this frankly delightful little elephant pendant. This is also the only piece on this list to not sit on a metal chain, which allows this pendant to truly be the star of the show. The silk is perfect for those that aren’t too fond of the feeling of a chain on their neck, but fear not, if you want something more classic, then chain options are available too.

The trinity ring is a Cartier classic, featuring three interlaced bands, in pink, white, and yellow gold, to signify three of life’s great joys—love, fidelity, and friendship. This is an heirloom you’ll pass down (in that iconic red box), and while it’s certainly an investment, a heap of Cartier gold for under $2,000 strikes us as hardly the worst deal ever.

If you came here to get a Normal People-inspired chain, then this is likely the one you came to find. Simple, with a shorter length (so that it’s pretty much always on show), it’s very much a marriage of form and function, if the function you’re after is being compared to the most stylish man of the year.

Take the curb chain, and bulk it up slightly but not too much, and this is where you land. Significant enough to be seen poking out the top of your tee, but not so big as to feel like you’re trying to make a statement.

Here’s one for an intentional but controlled, tasteful statement. The Swedish brand’s pieces are minimal leaning, but not afraid to make a bit of noise. This is definitely on the louder end of their spectrum, but when you’re dealing with cuban chains, the noisier the better. (The noise is usually an exclamation of “Ayyyy!”)

Another option from the precision masters over at Tom Wood. The 18k plating gives that deep gold tonality that you want when you’re dealing with a more impactful piece like a curb or cuban chain, but the more rounded links soften the impression a touch.

One thing that is often tricky to get right in jewelry is color. Thankfully, here’s a success story: An option that’s as much charm as it is chain, with playful flowers sitting around large gold links to create an eyecatching piece.

This ball chain option is the closest thing to a choker on this list. Sitting close to the neck and featuring a clasp that can almost double as a pendant, Marc Jacobs has delivered a bold, spherically focussed necklace for those who want their bling to be upfront and undeniable.

You really thought we’d leave out the medallion of Medusa? It’s a classic that’s synonymous with opulence and, well, gold. And this larger-sized Medusa pendant sits squarely on your sternum, giving you the air of a Versace-engineered Iron Man.

Another orbular option here, from Frank Ocean’s Homer. This is far and away the most expensive piece you’ll find on here, but with good reason. Firstly, and most importantly, it’s solid 18k gold, which gives it heirloom if not museum potential. Secondly, it’s a chance to own a rare creation from the mind of one of the 21st century’s most revered, enigmatic artists.