#1 Gold Chains Buyer Las Vegas & Henderson

Nevada Coin Mart prides itself on being the LARGEST buyer of gold chains in Las Vegas, Henderson, and the greater Las Vegas area. If you want to make money off your preloved gold chains, we are the place to go for a fast and fair market assessment and instant cash on-the-spot.

Chains are jewelry pieces that are part of necklaces, so they are basically just the same because they are worn around the neck. The only striking difference between these two is that chains are without embellishments added to necklaces such as pendants and precious stones or beads. 

These days, the typical materials used to forge chains are gold although other metal types such as silver are as popular because of affordability.

History

Wearing gold chains regularly to embellish the wearer’s outfit at present is as commonplace as it was back in the early days of humanity; thus, chains are actually historical hand-me-downs by humans who were part of the earliest cultures to have flourished.

Around, at least, 2500 BC, ancient Egyptians started threading gold and silver together, and according to earliest records, they wore them to ward off evil and to attract good luck and probably, for Greeks too, to represent eternal (because of the loop without beginnings and endings) love and all that is good in human relationships as well as the woes brought about by the darker side of humanity (i.e., oppression, imprisonment, and pain).

Ancient Babylonia

In Ur, a Biblical city of ancient Babylonia, can be found another earlier example of gold jewelry pieces belonging to Queen Puabi buried in 2600 BC. In addition to her massive amounts of gold ornament such as an elaborate headdress, she has lots of chains often embellished with lapis and carnelian stones, which she wore as belts and necklaces. For special occasions, she piled on enough gold to fell a small horse. Moreover, her chains mainly varied on perennial loop-in-loop, a technique that spread throughout the Mediterranean, Western Asia, and eventually, the world.

Henry VIII

With Henry VII draping himself with heavy gold chains around his shoulders as signs of favor but keeping the best for himself, gold chains became unisex. Then, in the early 1500, men in Germany and Flanders fashionably wore gold links as bulky as bicycle chains.

The 1930s

In the 1930s, gold chains became affordable in that they appealed to the working class despite the Great Depression. Thanks to the fad started by Coco Chanel draped to the waist in gilt chains and fake pearls, but now they are like mere lornettes.

Modern Times

At present, gold chains are almost exclusively associated with Hip Hop culture and fashion with the introduction of these chains by the artists Run DMC. For Hip Hop artists from Dr. Dre to Jay-Z, draping themselves with gold chains is more than just rocking them or being a Hip Hop dress code as it represents both how much faith some of these artists have in God and how far they have come in their respective games.

Types of Gold Chains

Choosing a gold chain type is one tricky task that must be carefully weighed because many factors (i.e., wearer’s gender, chain’s appearance, and whatnot) are at play. Listed and explained below are eleven types of gold chains for men and women:

Anchor Chains

Anchor chains are also called mariner chains because they resemble the chains connected. Thus, they make a great choice for those fond of the sea. In terms of appearance, they are made up of interlocking ovals with a bar across the center of each oval and are traditionally flat. These chains are best worn as a stand-alone accessory. Thicker ones are more popular with men while the smaller, more delicate ones are commonly chosen by women.

Bead Chains

Composed of tiny beads linked together to create chains, bead chains allow the wearer to decide how close the beads are from each other. More specifically, this chain type appeals greatly to men because of its smaller form, a dog tag that looks even better with a pendant (be it an ersatz dog tag or a medallion of some sort).

Box Chains

Box chains are called because of their square links connected together to form a continuous, smooth chain that is quite popular with both men and women; wider ones are preferred by men. This chain type does not break easily. In case a link breaks, it can be reattached without being replaced or affecting its design.

Byzantine Chains

Byzantine chains are the rarest and most powerful among chain types in that each of its links passes through the other four, thereby imitating a rope’s texture. Moreover, this chain type is luxurious, supple, and flexible all at once.

Cuban Chains

Cuban chains have an ornate, chunky, imposing appearance because of their slight flattened and close-set links that can be small or large depending on one’s personal taste. Moreover, this chain type is preferred by men and often seen looped around rappers’ necks.

Curb Chains

Having a basic, timeless design, curb chains are made up of a series of interconnected, uniform links designed to lay flat even while interlocked. This chain type is a topic choice as a necklace chain.

Figaro Chains

Figaro chains consist of a pattern of repeating links. Mostly, one of those links is a rectangular one that is longer and is followed by a succession of smaller oval or round links, making the end result a unique and intricate necklace. If the wearer prefers something more interesting than a simple cable chain but is not in the mood to drape him/herself in an ornate style, then a figaro one is elegant on its own right.

Herringbone Chains

Herringbone chains are made up of a series of flat, short, and parallel links in an offset pattern, distinguishing this style from others in terms of style and substance. Also, this style is best worn without a pendant and can go with a daytime casual or office outfit.

Rope Chains

Rope chains have metal segments connected together in a twisting pattern, looking precisely like a rope. Among the most durable and heaviest, this chain type can be worn alone if it has heavier, larger segments, but if more delicate, a pendant goes well with this type.

Singaporean Chains

Singaporean chains are strong, durable chains made up of a series of interlinked segments. This chain style is popularly chosen to hold a pendant because it is very strong regardless of width.

Snake Chains

Looking like snakes, snake chains are made up of a series of curvy, round rings, either plates or bands, connected tightly together to form a supremely flexible, sleek chain of a smooth and shiny texture. When paired with a pendant, these chains look stunning although they are somewhat delicate. Moreover, it is thanks to their semi-rigid structure that they do not tangle easily (such as being caught on hair or other objects).

Wheat Chains

Wheat chains are called so because they resemble the tips of wheat stalks; this chain type is made up of flat, twisted oval links plaited together in one direction to look like a series of metallic fibers running into each other at their points and to create a beautiful textural appearance.

Karats in Gold Chains

The purity of gold alloys is measured in terms of a unit called karat (KT). In every jewelry piece with gold alloys, it is made up of twenty four (24) parts composed of just pure gold or a pure one mixed with other metal types:

  • A 24KT gold chain has 24 parts of pure gold.
  • An 18KT gold chain has 18 parts of pure gold and 6 parts of other metals.
  • A 14KT gold chain has 14 parts of pure gold and 10 parts of other metals.
  • A 10KT gold chain has 10 parts of pure gold and 14 parts of other metals.

Percentage Equivalent of Karats

In terms of the percentage equivalent of karat, dive the karat by 24 and multiply it by 100:

  • If a 24KT gold chain has 24 parts of pure gold, then, it is 100%.
  • If an 18KT gold chain has 18 parts of pure gold,  then, it is 75%.
  • If a 14KT gold chain has 14 parts of pure gold, then, it is 58.33%.
  • If a 10KT gold chain has 10 parts of pure gold, then, it is 41.67%.

Parts-Per-Thousand Conversion

Moreover, karats can be expressed in terms of parts per thousand, a three-digit number. Thus:

  • 1000 is for a 24KT gold chain.
  • 750 is for an 18KT gold chain.
  • 583 is for a 14KT gold chain.
  • 417 is for a 10KT gold chain.

To convert a parts-per-thousand number to a karat, simply divide it by 1000 and then, multiply it by 24.

How We Appraise / Evaluate Your Gold Chain

The process is very simple: you bring it in and we will evaluate right in front of you. The first thing we look for is if there are any stones on it. If so, those stones need to be evaluated by our GIA Graduate Gemologist.

If there are no stones, then we evaluate in this order:

  1. If it is something we can resell as a jewelry piece, we will pay you based on the resell market price.
  2. If it is NOT something we can sell, then we will be buying it for the gold melt value.

How we determine the purity is by using an X-Ray Spectrometer which can tell us the purity – or karat. Once we know what that is, there is a set market price for gold, based on the New York commodity market price (also known as Spot Price).

References