Sunday 27 September 2015

Choking on a Necklace

open-jump-ringYou may not have noticed that the jump ring holding the clasp on your necklace or bracelet is not soldered closed. You may even consider it to be a manufacturing fault or a mistake.


There is a very good reason for this link remaining open however. A thick gold chain is very strong and would be extremely difficult to break by pulling it apart in your hands. Imagine what would happen if your were at work and got your necklace caught in a machine. You could be choked by your gold necklace chain.


The link that is unsoldered is relatively small and will open easily if enough (not a lot of) force is applied to it. This is done for safety reasons but it also means that playing a contact sport could cause you to lose your chain. It’s best to remove your jewellery before doing any physical activity where it may catch on something.


Every now and then you should inspect this link to make sure that it has not been stretched and opened up by having your chain pulled on. It’s easy enough to close it up with a pair of small pliers and will make sure you don’t lose your precious chain.


You may also notice that the chain in the photo is vermeil (gold plated). The 925 hallmark means the chain is made from sterling silver.



Choking on a Necklace

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