Gold Name Necklace

A gold name necklace is the piece people ask about before they ask your name. Cut to your spelling in the font you choose — script, block, bubble or vertical — in 18K gold vermeil at 3 microns over solid sterling silver, or gold plated. One name or four, on chains from 14 to 20 inches, from $48.

Gold Name Necklace Questions

How much does a gold name necklace cost?

Ours run $48 to about $120 depending on length, font and how many names. The market splits three ways: solid 14k gold starts near $400 and climbs; gold vermeil sits between $40 and $150; and the cheapest pieces on the market use plating thin enough to show copper at the letters within months. The letters are where plating wears first, because there's more edge than surface.

Is a gold vermeil name necklace real gold?

Real gold over solid sterling silver, not brass. Vermeil legally requires 2.5 microns of gold; ours is 3.0. Industry standard gold plating is 0.2 microns and most "gold plated" jewelry is 0.5. On a name necklace that difference matters more than on a plain pendant, because every letter edge is a wear point.

Will a gold name necklace turn my neck green?

Not this one. That reaction comes from copper reaching skin through thin plating. Vermeil has none — it is gold over solid sterling silver. The plated pieces run 0.5 microns over brass — 2.5× the 0.2 micron industry standard. What does happen with any gold plating is dulling from perfume and hairspray, which is why you put it on last.

What length should a gold name necklace be?

18 inches for most names. A nameplate is wider than a charm, and at 16 it rides into the hollow of the throat where letters bunch together. Three or four letters sit fine at 16. Past eight letters, 18 or 20 — the piece needs room to be read.

How long does it take to make?

Each one is cut to your spelling, so it isn't picked off a shelf. Production runs a few business days before shipping; the exact window is on the product page. Order with a week's margin if it's for a specific date.

Which font should I choose?

Script is the safe default and the most forgiving on long names — the letters connect, so nothing floats. Block reads more modern and holds up better on short names. Bubble is the boldest and needs a shorter name to work. If you're buying it as a surprise, script.

See also name necklaces, custom name necklaces and initial necklaces. To add a stone, see birthstone necklaces.