I understand the appeal. We all want that sharp gold chain look without breaking the bank. I spent countless hours searching online for a decent, affordable men's gold necklace. In my attempt to save money, I ended up wasting it instead.
I made these five mistakes so you can avoid them. Learn from my errors and make a smarter purchase on your first try.
I saw chains advertised for $12 or $15 and thought, "What a steal!" I figured even if they were cheap, they'd last a few months. That was a huge mistake. Extremely low-priced necklaces use the thinnest possible layer of gold plating, which is often poorly applied and doesn't adhere well to the base metal.
The result? The gold color rubbed off onto my shirt collar after just three wears. It looked terrible—patchy and uneven, with shiny silver peeking through the cheap gold coating.
Low-Rating Review Illustration:"The color rubbed off on my shirt collar after two days. I expected cheap, but not that cheap."
You can't cheat the basics. If the price seems too good to be true, the gold layer is paper-thin. Set a minimum budget of $35–$50 to have a chance at getting a chain that lasts.
When I bought my chain, the description simply said "Alloy." I didn't think much of it, assuming an alloy was just a type of metal. I was wrong. An unspecified alloy often means copper, brass, or nickel—metals that react poorly with skin and sweat.
I ended up with a green ring around my neck. It was both embarrassing and itchy. I didn't realize it wasn't real gold until my skin started changing color. I suspect it was copper underneath the plating, which stained my skin badly.
Low-Rating Review Illustration:"I didn't realize it wasn't real gold until my neck turned green. I think it was copper underneath."
Learn from my experience. Always look for these materials: