Necklaces and pendants are the most dramatic of accessories, changing the look of an ensemble. The two basic types of jewelry for your neck are necklaces, which are one integrated piece of neck jewelry conceived in three dimensions, and pendants, which generally have one central motif that hangs on a separate chain, wire, or strand of pearls.
The challenge to selecting a necklace that’s right for you is that no other jewelry interacts as much with your clothing as a necklace. To complement your style, a necklace needs to work with what you are wearing, so first ask yourself: what neckline do I most often wear?

If you wear collared shirts, you might prefer a pendant that nestles inside the collar. If you wear scoop or portrait necklines that show your collarbone, you might prefer a necklace that is designed in the round, as attractive on the sides as in front. If you wear v-necks, both pendants and v-shaped necklaces will work well.

When evaluating the design and quality of necklaces, look first at the overall impact: does the necklace lie gracefully on the contours of your neck and shoulders? It’s surprising how many designs are conceived flat, rather then in three dimensions. Look in particular where joints fall and how the necklace settles on your body as you move. Is it comfortable? Is it balanced so that it stays in place?

Examine the clasp to judge durability and attention to detail. Make sure it closes firmly. A heavy necklace needs a sturdy clasp.

Check the matching and graduating of any gems. One of the reasons that gem-set necklaces are difficult to make is that the gems are expected to match closely in color, cut, size, and clarity. Settings should be consistent: see our Ring Rules article for additional tips on judging the quality of stone settings. If the size is graduated from small in back to large in front the steps in size should be graceful.

Of course there are many necklaces that successfully break all the rules: multicolored pearl strands with a delightful variety in color, bead necklaces with a pleasing jumble of sizes, shapes and colors. Variation is wonderful when it is skillful and deliberate.