Cuban link chain

In a Cuban link, the oval links are uniform and interlock, so the chain lies flat when worn. Cuban is filed under the curb family, and Cuban and Twisted are also used as other names for the curb style, so the names overlap. The result reads as a thick, tight band rather than a loose string of rings.

In outline, a curb-style chain is made by wrapping wire around an oval spindle, cutting the coil into links, soldering the links closed, interlocking them and filing facets into them. Two things are worth checking in person: how cleanly the solder joints are finished, and whether the links sit evenly along the whole length.

These names describe versions of one idea. Four versions come up most, shown below. They are trade labels rather than standards, and the descriptions are loose, so ask to see the exact chain and get its width and weight instead of relying on the name.

For a diamond Cuban, ask whether the stones are natural or lab-grown, how they are set, and what the total carat weight is.

A solid link is metal all the way through. A hollow link is a shell around an empty core. For the same width and length, a hollow chain uses less gold and weighs less, so two chains that look alike in a photo can be very different objects.

The trade-off is that a thin wall has less metal to absorb a knock or a snag than a solid link has. Solid is the more forgiving choice for a chain worn every day. Hollow can make sense when you want a larger look at a lighter weight and will wear it with some care. Either way, ask for the weight in grams and ask whether the links are solid.

Width works the same way. Curb-style chains come in a very wide range of widths, so a figure in millimetres is the only dependable description. A good way to choose is to measure a chain you already like.

Gold chains are commonly made in 10K, 14K or 18K gold; 10K and 14K are the harder-wearing choices for a chain. Under Canada’s Precious Metals Marking Act, a quality mark such as a karat stamp is not required: the Act says one may be applied when the article meets the standards in the regulations. When one is applied, a registered trademark (or one with an acceptable application filed) must be applied too, unless the piece carries a United Kingdom hallmark or a mark authorized by a foreign government’s law. A karat stamp on a chain sold in Canada should therefore usually come with a trademark, often the maker’s or importer’s. Precious metal quality marks explains how to read them.

Look at the fastening as well. A box clasp is a common choice for heavier chains: a tongue clicks into a housing and is released with a trigger, and a safety catch can add a second lock. Lighter chains may use a lobster clasp, which is held shut by a spring and opened with a small lever. Either way, check that it clicks shut, holds when tugged and is the same karat as the chain, and try it on the chain’s real weight, because the clasp is the part you will open and close every time you wear it.

Its origin is not well documented. The style is commonly linked to Miami’s Cuban community in the 1970s and 1980s and was later taken up in Latin and hip-hop culture.

No maker or date for the first chain is commonly cited. Treat “Cuban” as a label for the look, not a record of where a particular chain was made. The same gold-chain tradition also produced the rope chain, the Franco chain and the Figaro chain, which are worth comparing if you are not sure a Cuban link is the right shape for you.

Chains can be designed to order. Diamond Bros’ custom jewellery design service covers chains alongside rings, bracelets and earrings, and the design studio is the place to start with metal and length. To compare widths in person, visit a showroom or browse the necklace and men’s collections.

Bring the width, length and weight of a chain you already wear if you have them. Those three numbers describe what you want better than any style name, and the jewellery care guide covers keeping a polished chain in good shape.