Hulu has a new show out called "Normal People". It's based on the novel of the same name, by Sally Rooney
People are loving it, so if you have Hulu, do check it out. The lead characters are "Connell" played by "Paul Mascale" and "Marianne" played by "Daisy Edgar-Jones".
Today, however, we're more interested in "Connell's Chain" which has become a bit of a fan favorite in its own right. The lead character Connell wears the chain religiously and it has a lot of meaning in the story which is why it's so prevalent in the show.
Not many pieces of jewelry as simple as a chain garner enough attention to have their own Instagram channel with over 100K followers, so I thought I would show you a chain that's similar and also some different options and sizes for men's chains. I'll also show some pictures about what the different lengths look like and what length I think Connell's chain is.
Chain Style
There are a ton of different style chains out there. Here are just a few of the popular options:
Anchor Chain
Cable Chain
Curb Chain
Open Link Chain
Rope Chain
It looks to me like Connell's chain is a Curb Chain - maybe a Square Curb Chain or even Pave Curb Chain.
Chain Length
After choosing your style you'll want to choose a length. Generally you're going to go between 18 – 24 inches depending on your preference and neck size. Some people go up to 30 inches as well.
Determining the length of chain you want to wear is relatively simple - just think about it in terms of your collar size. Pull one of those button-ups out of the closet and look at the tag. Mine, for example, is 16 1/2 – 32/33. The first number is your neck size, in my case 16 1/2 inches. That means my neck is around 16" where a collar would meet.
Sidebar: If you only have shirts with Small, Medium, or Large on them then check out this link about shirt sizes. It's pretty handy information, and it has a chart for a rough idea of neck sizes.
So, for me, while there are 16" chains available it would be silly to wear one because it would look like a choker. That's not the look I'm going for. But, I can get away with an 18 inch chain, and at that length I get the look of Connell's Chain.
I believe, in the case of Connell, that his is a 20" chain. It sits close to his neck, but it looks like his neck is a little bit thicker than mine. This is what a 20" looks like on my 16" neck.
Next, of course is a 24"
And finally, this is what a 30" looks like on my 16" neck.
If your neck happens to be on the larger or smaller side you're going to have to compensate. For example, if you're neck is coming in at 18" you don't want an 18" chain, but instead start with a bare minimum of 20", but likely 24" as the smallest you would want to go.
Chain Width
Chain widths are measured in millimetres. Conventional wisdom tells you that a guy's chain wants to be at least 3mm wide. I'm comfortable with a 1.85mm, though, so it's going to come down to the look you're going for. I think I most prefer around 2.5 - 3.0mm. I believe that Connell's Chain is about 2mm - 2.5mm. It looks pretty lightweight.
The chain shown below has a 1.85mm in width.
And this one is 4.5mm.
Chain Metals
Metals are pretty straight-forward. You have the options of: Yellow Gold; White Gold; Silver; or Stainless Steel. There are other options like Brass and such but it's pretty uncommon to use those. Everything except the yellow gold is considered "white color" - mostly reflecting back light, whereas gold is obviously yellow, as we know.
Connell's Chain doesn't look like anything fancy. I'm guessing it's either Silver, or possibly Stainless Steel.
With gold prices being what they are today you're going to find that real gold chains are pretty expensive. Some people will do gold or nothing, but if you're ok with Silver then you can find a lot of cost savings.
If you're looking for yellow metal, however, you're going to have to stick with gold. You can help your price a little by choosing a 10K yellow gold instead of higher purity gold.
The Final Verdict
So, in the end, I believe that Connell's Chain is a 20", Flat Curb Chain. I'm guessing it's probably Stainless Steel, but could be Silver or White Gold obviously. While the chain is very nice and eye catching, it's certainly not an "extraordinary chain" by any means. But, for me anyways, simple and classic is never a bad thing.
Here's a 20" version that is pretty close, and here's an 18" version. Lately I've been into this Flat Beveled Curb Chain - it's 3mm thick and looks great. We have it in both 18" and 20".
Here's a list of some other chains we offer on our website, but please note that there are so many options that we don't carry everything on the website. Give us a call or text us at 603-749-3129 if you are looking for something in particular. We can send you some pictures of different options and get exactly what you're looking for.
Let us know what you think, or if you have some other ideas on what you think his chain is!