How to know how a necklace will look on you: length, drop and neckline

A necklace's length decides where it sits, and a charm's size decides how much it shows. Measure a necklace you like, or use a string, then match it to 16, 20 or 24 inches and check the On model view. A 16 inch chain sits near the base of the neck, and 20 and 24 inches hang lower.

Length and drop are different things

Length is the chain measured end to end. Drop is how far the lowest point of the chain hangs below your neck. A charm hangs from that lowest point, so a longer chain puts the charm lower on your chest.

On a flat picture a chain looks like a line. On a person it is a curve. This is why the same necklace can look different in a flat photograph and on a neck.

The three lengths

We offer necklaces at 16, 20 and 24 inches. Our page puts it simply: longer lengths sit lower on the chest. Where each one lands depends on your neck and your frame.

Chain prices are from the Oval Chain page, read on 19 October 2026. They follow the daily gold rate.

Do the string test

You do not need to guess. A string tells you more than a chart.

1. Take a piece of string or a ribbon and lay it around your neck at the point where you want the chain to sit.
2. Mark where the ends meet, take it off and measure it against a ruler.
3. Match the result to 16, 20 or 24 inches. If it falls between two, think about whether you want it higher or lower, and try both in the builder.

You can also measure a necklace you already wear and like. Lay it flat and measure it from end to end.

Match your neckline

These are starting points, not rules. The preview and the string will tell you more.

How big will the charm look

Every charm comes in Small, Medium and Large, and the price rises with the size. The Glittering Hamsa Charm is $850 in Small, $1,380 in Medium and $1,853 in Large, in 14K yellow gold, as of 19 October 2026.

You do not have to imagine the difference. In the builder, tap the charm on the piece and change its size. The picture changes beside the chain, and the total changes with it. A finer Petite chain suits a smaller charm. A larger medallion tends to look balanced on a Standard link. The reasoning is in which chain is best for charms.

If you need an exact measurement of a charm, write to the atelier at atelier@ilenejoy.com.

Preview it on a model

1. Open Design your own and choose Design a necklace.
2. Set your length and your chain.
3. Add a charm, then drag it along the chain.
4. Look at the On model view. Check where the chain meets the neckline and where the charm falls.
5. Change the length and look again.

The model is not you, so her neck may be longer or shorter than yours. Use the view to judge balance and proportion, and use the string test for your own length. The page calls the preview "a creative visualization, not an exact representation." We confirm every detail with you after you order. The step-by-step version is in how to design your own charm necklace.

Wearing more than one

If you plan to layer, choose lengths that leave a clear gap between chains, and start from a short one. The guide to layering charm necklaces explains how the lengths work together, layering necklaces in solid gold covers sets, and how many charms to wear covers spacing.

For a bracelet the question is the wrist, not the neck. See build your own charm bracelet online. For a general look at what any try-on can and cannot show, read virtual try-on for necklaces and bracelets.

About Ilene Joy

Ilene Joy has designed jewelry since 1996. Ilene designed jewelry for the last three seasons of Sex and the City, as WWD reported in February 2019. She relaunched the label that year with her daughter, Rae Scheer, and Vogue covered the launch. Zoë Kravitz, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Jennifer Lawrence, Sienna Miller, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Taylor Swift, Emily Blunt, Emily Ratajkowski and Candice Swanepoel have worn Ilene Joy: see who wears Ilene Joy. Every design you build is made to order at our Los Angeles bench in 2 to 4 weeks. More on who Ilene Joy is and the press coverage.