Frequently asked questions
Is a STRUGA chain just a base for hanging a pendant?
No. Here the chain is an object in its own right, not a carrier for a pendant. Each of the four families is built from its own link, and the piece holds on its own — a pendant neither replaces nor completes it.
Which families make up the chains category?
Four: BLADE, THORN, Signature Asymmetric and Signature Heart. BLADE is the brand's original chain — links split in two and reassembled on copper pins. THORN reads the same principle sculpturally, through links with sharp edges. The two Signature families arrange the brand's DNA forms into a repeating rhythm.
Is THORN the same thing as the Thorn Amulet?
No. THORN is a family of the CODEX world; in this category it is read as a chain of sharp-edged links. The Thorn Amulet is a separate type within the AMULET family, in the RITUAL world. Same word, two different entities — the chain family and the amulet are not the same thing.
Will the silver darken over time?
Yes, and that is the intent. STRUGA chains are 925 sterling silver with no rhodium plating — Living Silver. The metal darkens on its own as the piece is worn. This is a property of the material, not the oxidation done in the workshop; the patina is a record of how the piece is worn, not a flaw.
How is each chain made?
Every link is cast from a wax model and assembled by hand. The clasp carries the Signature Asymmetric silhouette — the closure belongs to the object itself, not added at the end as generic hardware.
Weight is what you feel
Five chains here, and the weights run from 11 to 90 grams. That is a factor of eight — the difference between a chain you forget by lunchtime and one you are aware of with every turn of the head.
- Around 11 grams — the Thorn Links Chain. Present as a line, not as mass. Worn continuously without thinking about it.
- Around 27 grams — the Signature Asymmetric and Small Beads chokers. The working weight: visible, substantial, still comfortable all day.
- 35 grams at 120 cm — the long Signature Asymmetric chain. Mass spread over length, so it sits lighter than the number suggests.
- 80 to 90 grams — the Blade Mini Links choker. A full silver object. You feel it constantly, and that is what it is for.
Weight matters more than width at the neck, because it decides how the chain moves when you do.
Length decides where it sits
Three of the five come in 40, 45 and 50 cm. One runs to 120.
40 cm sits at the base of the throat — a true choker, always visible above a collar. 45 cm rests on the collarbones, the most forgiving length if you are unsure. 50 cm falls just below, and works over a shirt rather than against skin.
120 cm is a different object entirely: worn long over clothing, or doubled to sit as a heavy double strand.
Measure a chain you already own and compare — a few centimetres change the character completely at this end of the range.
What a chain is made of here
925 sterling silver, no rhodium plating, on every piece in this category.
Every link is cast from a wax model and assembled by hand. The BLADE link is built from two halves on copper pins and soldered into one whole — that construction is why the edges stay sharp instead of rounding off with wear.
The clasp carries the Signature Asymmetric silhouette: the closure belongs to the object rather than being added at the end.
Living with an unplated chain
A chain darkens differently from anything else you wear. The joints between links go black first, because they hold the least contact; the faces stay bright where they rub against skin and collar.
The result is that the structure of the chain becomes more legible over a year, not less. On a heavy link piece this is the most visible patina in the range.
Silver cleaner returns it to light whenever you want, worked into the joints with a cloth. Take it off before the pool — chlorine darkens silver unevenly and in a way you did not choose.
More questions
Which length should I choose?
45 cm if you are unsure — it sits on the collarbones and suits the widest range of necks and
collars. 40 cm reads as a choker, 50 cm works over a shirt.
How heavy is too heavy?
There is no rule, but the range here spans a factor of eight. If this is your first silver chain,
start around 27 grams rather than 90.
Can I wear a heavy chain every day?
Yes. Sterling silver is alloyed precisely so it can be worn daily without deforming. The first
days you feel the weight, then it becomes background.
How do I clean between the links?
Cloth or silver cleaner worked into the joints. That is where the darkening concentrates, and it
is the part a quick polish misses.
Read further
- Chain styles compared — what each weave does and how it hangs.
- Necklace lengths explained — where each length sits on the body.
- Layering chains — combining lengths and weights.
- How silver patinates — what the darkening in the joints actually is.
- Cleaning link pieces — including between the links.
