Tennis Chain Sizing and Care: Necklaces and Bracelets

Tennis chains are in the hip hop chains collection; the wrist versions are in hip hop bracelets.

A tennis chain is the most fragile chain style you can buy, because it is not really a chain: it is a row of stone settings hinged together. That changes how you size it, how you wear it and how you clean it.

Stone size sets the look

Tennis chains are described by stone size, not chain width. 3 mm stones make a fine, bright line; 5 mm is the standard iced look; 6 mm and above is heavy and the settings get bulky. For a first tennis chain, 4 or 5 mm is the right size: enough sparkle to read as iced, small enough that the prongs stay in proportion.

Length

Tennis chains do not drape like a Cuban; they hold a stiff curve. That means they sit higher than a Cuban of the same length. Buy 20 inches for a collarbone sit or 22 inches for mid-chest. For bracelets, 7 inches fits most men's wrists snugly and 8 inches leaves room for the bracelet to move.

Why stones fall out, and how to check

Each stone is held by four prongs. When a prong bends, the stone loosens; when two bend, it falls out. Before buying, look at the back of the chain: the prongs should be the same thickness as the links joining the settings. Thin, wire-like prongs are the sign of a chain that will lose stones. Our iced out tennis chain uses full four-prong settings, and the tennis chain necklace and bracelet set matches them in a pair.

CZ or moissanite

Cubic zirconia is the standard tennis chain stone and it is fine for a chain you wear a few times a month. It clouds slightly after a year or two of daily wear. Moissanite does not cloud and refracts more light, which is why a moissanite tennis chain looks brighter in photos. The VVS1 moissanite tennis set is the version we would buy for daily wear; it costs more up front and outlasts three CZ chains.

Cleaning without dulling the stones

Warm water, a drop of dish soap, a soft toothbrush, then rinse and pat dry. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner on a tennis chain: the vibration loosens prongs. Never use toothpaste or baking soda: they scratch plating. Store the chain flat or hanging, never in a pile with other chains, because tangled tennis chains bend prongs when you separate them.