Layered Necklaces

Layered Diamond Necklaces for Women

Every piece here is a single necklace, chosen because it sits well with others. Wear one on its own, or put two or three together on 16, 18 and 20 inch chains to build a stack of your own: a small solitaire at the collarbone, a line of stations below it, a Y-necklace to finish. Each comes in natural or lab-grown diamonds.

Layer One: Something Small at the Collarbone

A stack starts with its shortest, simplest necklace, usually on a 16 inch chain. This top layer should be light, a single small diamond or a short cluster, because everything below it will be busier. A small round or pear pendant works well here, and so does the 0.15 carat triple round, three tiny diamonds in a row. Our solitaire necklaces have many more options for this spot.

Layer Two: A Line of Diamonds

The middle layer, on an 18 inch chain, is where a stack gets its rhythm. Station designs space diamonds along the chain, so they add sparkle without a heavy pendant pulling the layers together. Our seven-stone natural station necklace, at 2.80 carats, is the boldest version. Lighter versions are in the diamond by the yard collection, where small bezel-set diamonds float along a fine chain. For more weight, a tennis necklace can take this place instead, worn closer to the neck with the pendants moved lower.

Layer Three: A Drop to Finish

The longest layer, on a 20 inch chain, should point downward and finish the stack. A Y-necklace does this naturally: a short tail of diamonds hangs from the center and draws the eye down. We make it as a delicate 0.10 carat round Y and as a 5.18 carat tennis Y-necklace for a full evening look. A butterfly pendant or the double emerald drop also works at this length, as long as it's the biggest piece in the stack.

Spacing Keeps Chains Apart

Most tangling comes from chains that are too close in length. Aim for about two inches between each layer, the gap between 16, 18 and 20 inch chains, and give the lowest layer the heaviest pendant so it holds the others in line. Chains of different thickness also tangle less than identical ones. When you take a stack off, unclasp each necklace separately and lay them flat or hang them apart. Our necklace length guide shows where each length falls on the neck.

Mixing Metals and Diamond Types

A stack doesn't have to match. Yellow gold at the top and white gold below looks deliberate rather than accidental, as long as at least two pieces share a metal. Natural and lab-grown diamonds look identical once worn, so they can sit side by side; our natural layered necklaces and lab-grown layered necklaces are split out if you prefer one or the other.

Each necklace is made in 925 sterling silver or 10K, 14K or 18K yellow, white or rose gold. Some arrive with the chain attached; on others you choose a 16, 18 or 20 inch chain in silver, 14K or 18K gold, while 10K pieces come without a chain.