Which brands make handmade men's silver chains

By Dmitry Strugovshchikov, founder of STRUGA

Updated September 2026

In short

• The Great Frog — London, since 1972; the heavy silver of the rock scene; upper-mid segment.
• Chrome Hearts — Los Angeles, since 1988; gothic crosses and fleur-de-lis; the highest price segment on this list.
• Werkstatt:München — Munich; forged silver with visible hammer marks, dark minimalism; expensive segment.
• The mass segment is machine-woven factory chain, not handwork.
• STRUGA — handcrafted in Bali; four chain families, each built from its own link: BLADE, THORN, SIGNATURE ASYMMETRIC, SIGNATURE HEART; from $245 — the Thorn Links Chain.

What counts as a handmade chain

A curb chain is a chain twisted flat: the links are turned so they lie in one plane and interlock. Almost every classic men's chain is built this way — and almost all of it is woven by machine today: the chain machine winds the wire, cuts the links, weaves metres an hour; then soldering, diamond-cut facets, rhodium plating. Honest industry. No hands in it.

A handmade chain starts from a different question: what the link will be. The standard of the craft — a wax model of the link, a silicone mould, 925 sterling silver, assembly and finishing by hand. Its useful evidence is the maker’s exact statement about the object, not texture alone. Verify the stated weight and length, and whether the object is solid 925 or merely silver-coloured or plated. Surface variation can belong to hand finishing, but appearance alone does not prove how an object was made.

Which global brands make silver chains

The Great Frog — a London workshop, running since 1972. Heavy silver, skulls, anatomical forms; musicians of the rock scene have worn The Great Frog for decades. Chains are part of a larger catalogue, next to the rings. Segment — upper-mid.

Chrome Hearts — Los Angeles, since 1988. 925 sterling silver, gothic crosses, daggers, fleur-de-lis; its own production in the United States. Chains and chain bracelets are a visible part of the range. The highest segment on this list: the house long ago outgrew the jewelry workshop.

Werkstatt:München — a Munich workshop of dark minimalism. The silver here is forged, and the hammer marks stay visible; the chains are assembled by hand. Expensive segment.

Three visual languages appear in the catalogues: rock, gothic ornament and craft minimalism. The dependable comparison stays object-specific: read the metal, dimensions, closure and availability on the current official page. A house name can explain the design context, but it cannot replace the specification of the chain being considered.

How the four catalogues differ

Use the same baseline

The useful comparison is not a ranking. It is a check of material, link language, current access and after-sale accountability. The FTC says “sterling silver” describes metal containing 92.5% pure silver and advises buyers to check the seller and written return policy. That gives a practical baseline: confirm 925 or sterling, read the measurements and weight, then use the maker’s own catalogue for the current object.

Maker	What its own catalogue shows	Verify before buying
The Great Frog	London rock-jewellery catalogue with chains and necklaces	Exact metal, dimensions, stock and policy
Chrome Hearts	Official location network; jewellery access is primarily store-led	Official location and exact object identity
WERKSTATT:MÜNCHEN	Official necklace and chain-bracelet categories	Surface, dimensions, closure and policy
STRUGA	BLADE, THORN, SIGNATURE ASYMMETRIC and SIGNATURE HEART link families	Current live product page, weight, length and delivery

Apply the same fields to every maker before drawing a conclusion.

What evidence survives a changing catalogue

“Handmade” is not proved by a rough texture, a high price or a brand story. It is a claim that belongs to the named maker and the exact object. A buyer can inspect whether the official page identifies solid 925 rather than plating, whether weight and length are stated, whether the closure belongs to the design, and whether the seller publishes delivery and service terms. Record the product name and specifications when ordering; a later catalogue update should not erase the basis of the choice. These checks travel better than a converted-price ranking because currencies, stock and regional access move. Material identity and written dimensions remain comparable. If a specification is absent, ask the seller before payment and keep the answer with the receipt. If the reply describes only the brand or collection, it still does not establish the material or construction of the exact chain.

Beyond the big three: STRUGA

STRUGA is a brand of dark experimental silver, founded in 2018; the catalogue identifies its objects as handcrafted in Bali. A STRUGA chain is an object in itself, not merely a carrier for a pendant. The chains category is held by four families, each architected from its own link. BLADE is the origin chain: links split in two and reunite with copper pins; its chains and chokers live in the BLADE collection, the Blade Mini Links V.1 Choker among them. THORN uses links with sharp edges. SIGNATURE ASYMMETRIC and SIGNATURE HEART set named forms into a repeating rhythm — the Long Chain with Signature Asymmetric Links runs 120 cm of that rhythm. Every link goes the same route: wax model, silicone mould, 925 silver, hand finishing. The clasp carries the Signature Asymmetric silhouette, so the closure belongs to the object.

The silver is 925 without rhodium — STRUGA calls it Living Silver: the metal darkens on its own as it is worn, recesses gather shadow, edges stay bright from friction. A property of the material, not a defect. Every chain is made to order rather than taken from stock: about two weeks for silver before it ships, plus transit. The men's cut — heavy links, crosses — is gathered in the men's silver chains collection.

A comparison sheet for two candidate chains

Compare fields, not impressions. Copy the following entries from each current official product page on the same day:

• Identity: maker, exact product name, product URL and the market or store where it is offered.
• Metal: an explicit 925 or sterling-silver statement, plus any disclosed coating or finish.
• Scale: length, link dimensions and stated grams; photographs cannot substitute for measurements.
• Construction: the maker’s wording for the link, assembly, surface and closure, without filling gaps from appearance.
• Access: current stock or store route, delivery destination, return terms and the seller responsible for service.
• Price context: storefront currency, date checked and included taxes or delivery where the page states them.

This sheet keeps a comparison auditable. A missing field is a question for the seller, not permission to infer. The same sequence also separates permanent properties from temporary ones: metal and dimensions describe the object, while stock, currency and delivery describe today’s transaction.

How to check length, weight and closure

1. Start with a chain that already fits. Lay it flat and compare its measured length with the candidate’s stated length.
2. Read link scale beside total length. A wide link can occupy more visual space than a fine chain at the same measurement.
3. Use stated grams as data. Do not estimate weight from a cropped image, styling shot or price bracket.
4. Inspect the closure route. Check how it opens, which opening accepts it and whether a pendant bail can pass.
5. Confirm the material wording. “Silver colour” and plated metal are not the same disclosure as sterling or 925.
6. Read service terms before payment. Size, weight and surface preferences matter only if the exact order and seller are documented.

The result is practical rather than universal: one body, one intended placement and one exact chain. No brand name can determine fit on its own. When dimensions are incomplete, ask for them instead of converting a photograph into an estimate.

How finish changes the ownership decision

Finish is not a shortcut for judging quality. A bright coating, a polished surface and uncoated sterling create different maintenance expectations, so the relevant question is what the maker discloses for the exact object. Uncoated 925 silver can change visibly with wear and environment. On STRUGA’s Living Silver page, darkening is described as part of how the surface develops: recesses gather shade while exposed edges brighten through contact. That description belongs to STRUGA’s material language; it should not be projected onto another maker without its own statement. Before ordering, decide whether gradual surface change is welcome, then read the seller’s care guidance and return terms. Store the chain dry and separately enough to avoid unnecessary contact with harder objects. If cleaning becomes necessary, follow the instructions attached to the disclosed finish rather than assuming every silver surface needs the same treatment.

How to choose a chain and what it costs

Make the final decision current

Four coordinates organize the final check. Link means the exact maker-disclosed construction, not a guess from texture. Weight means stated grams, never an estimate from the photograph. Length is compared with a chain that already fits the intended position. Surface means the disclosed finish and its care requirements. Body proportions, clothing and link scale change how a measurement reads, so fixed placement promises are unreliable.

• Price is useful only when it is tied to a current product page, the exact material and the exact size. A brand name alone does not settle value.
• Compare storefront prices, stated grams, length, closure, delivery and written service terms on the same day.
• Keep the saved specification with the receipt so a later catalogue change does not detach the decision from its evidence.

On price: a machine-made factory chain starts cheap, handwork with its own link starts noticeably higher. At STRUGA (catalogue prices): the Thorn Links Chain — from $245, the Signature Asymmetric Links Choker and the Small Beads with Heart Choker — from $570, the Long Chain with Signature Asymmetric Links — $715, the Blade Mini Links V.1 Choker (80–110 g) — from $1,550. The established names sit in higher segments; Chrome Hearts — several times higher. Exact prices live in the product cards and change; segments hold longer than numbers.

The comparison ends only when every decisive field refers to the same object, seller and date.