It can be worn as a separate piece of jewelry or combined with a cross or pendant. The criteria for choosing chains will be slightly different.
If you are going to wear a chain without a pendant, pay attention to the fashionable and beautiful weaving and the length of the chain.
Optimal length. It is believed that the optimal length of the chain is slightly more than two neck circumferences. You can use a thread or a tape measure to measure the circumference of the neck, and then multiply the resulting length by two, adding a few centimeters for the freedom of fit.
Fashionable or classic weaving? If you plan to wear a chain every day, it is better to stick to classic types of weaving. For those who closely follow fashion, unusual weaves, combined or with stone inserts, are suitable. The thin weave of the chain will carefully follow the curves of the neck and collarbone and will not break. Thick massive chains will draw attention to the shape of the pendant.
What does the inscription NIKA on the cross mean?
Any educated person will say that “Nika” translated from Greek means “victory.” That, by the way, was the name of the ancient Greek goddess of victory, a close relative of the ancient Roman Victoria. So why is the name of a pagan goddess often emblazoned on Orthodox crosses?
So, the word NIKA on the cross means “victory.” According to historical chronicles, crosses with the initials of the Savior and the word “Nike” were installed in Byzantium by Emperor Constantine. This was done in honor of the victory over the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and marked the triumph of the new faith. Now this inscription is interpreted more simply: the Savior atoned for human sins and conquered death itself.
The main thing in an Orthodox cross is not its shape or market value, but its spiritual content. And they are endowed with symbols of faith exclusively by the people who wear and venerate them!
06.04.21
Is it possible not to wear a cross?
There is no church charter obliging an Orthodox Christian to wear a cross, but doing so is very important. If a person does not wear a cross, this indicates an irresponsible attitude towards Christ and a frivolous attitude towards life.
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How to choose a silver chain for a man?
Silver men's chains
Fashion for men's chains is as diverse as women's jewelry fashion.
When choosing a men's chain, you should decide whether you are going to wear it with a cross, a pendant, or as a separate piece of jewelry. The length, severity and weaving of the chain will depend on this.
Before buying a chain, you can wrap it around your hand and see if the chain will break; determine how strong the weave is.
Pay attention to the castle. It should be easy to fasten and unfasten, without dangling.
What an Orthodox cross should look like
So, an Orthodox pectoral cross should look like... Wait, it shouldn’t do anything: it’s a material symbol of faith that can take different forms. Yes, there are some canons, but they are so vague and conditional that it is almost impossible to make a mistake when choosing an Orthodox creed!
Church ministers are increasingly refusing to consecrate crosses due to non-compliance with the canons. The most advanced priests even consecrate crosses with Latin inscriptions and other signs of Catholic origin.
Contrary to popular misconception, the Orthodox Church recognizes crosses in a variety of shapes:
- Four-pointed. These simple crosses, consisting of just two crossed crossbars, are often called Latin crosses. Many people clearly consider them Catholic. This is incorrect: the Orthodox Church is not so categorical on this issue, especially since the baptist of Rus', Prince Vladimir, owned exactly such a cross. And one more thing: you can wear an Orthodox cross without a crucifix, inscriptions and other symbolic elements. Just a smooth four-pointed cross is enough!
View all gold “Cross” pendants in the SUNLIGHT catalog
- Six-pointed. In such crosses, another bar is added - an inclined lower one. There are different interpretations of its meaning: according to various sources, it symbolizes the internal balance of a person, his path to spirituality, or the scales on which human sins and blessings are weighed.
- Eight-pointed. These are canonical Orthodox crosses. Compared to six-pointed ones, they have an additional upper bar of shorter length than the main transverse one. It is called a title and serves as a symbol of a tablet that was once nailed over the head of the crucified Lord. According to the Orthodox tradition, the letters IHCI are inscribed on it, which, when deciphered from the Church Slavonic abbreviation, gives the phrase “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Since the time of Ivan the Terrible, this cross has been decorating the domes of churches, it is placed on the graves of parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church, and is used in state symbols.
The eight-pointed cross is one of the oldest symbols of the Christian religion. It was widely used back in VI, when there were no Catholics, Orthodox, Uniates, Protestants and others like them, but there were simply Christians, united in the faith.
The canonical Orthodox cross with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is visually somewhat different from the Catholic one. Let's go over the main differences:
- Figure of Christ. In the Orthodox tradition, the crucifix is more optimistic and life-affirming. Christ is depicted as already risen, with open arms and a spiritual look. The Catholic Savior is as if caught in the stage of agony or already dead: he hangs helplessly on the cross, clearly suffering.
- Nuances. On Catholic crucifixes there is often a crown of thorns on the head of Christ; in Orthodoxy it is usually absent. And the most important thing, on which many theological copies were broken - the feet of Christ. In the Orthodox tradition, the Savior receives a nail per foot (four in total), according to the Catholic tradition - one nail for both feet. Sometimes Orthodox priests refuse to consecrate crosses, guided by this very sign. Does the fact that Jesus is nailed with three nails make him no longer the Savior of mankind?
- Inscriptions. We have already talked about one inscription (it flaunts on the title, that is, the upper crossbar, or simply at the top of the cross) - Church Slavonic IHCI or Russian INCI. On the Catholic cross, a similar abbreviation is written in Latin INRI. On both crosses there may be all sorts of additional symbols and decorative elements, but only on the Orthodox cross on the reverse side is written: “Save and Preserve.”
There are many less common varieties of the Christian symbol. For example, the monastic cross-Golgotha, complemented by steps, a skull and other symbols, crosses with wedge-shaped petals topped with lilies or drops.
Product care
The lady chooses for herself when and with what to wear the chain. Some take it off as soon as they cross the threshold of the house, others do not part with it even during sleep, violating all the rules for caring for jewelry.
In order for the product to serve the owner as long as possible, it must be stored away from aggressive chemicals. Gold and platinum do not oxidize, but they should not be exposed to chemicals.
To avoid cracks in the metal and loss of the original original shine, the jewelry must be protected from sudden changes in temperature.
Periodically, the snake must be cleaned with tooth powder and GOI paste. Then rinse in water with the addition of a soap solution and a few drops of ammonia, then wipe with a dry soft cloth or towel.
The modern jewelry market offers a huge selection of beautiful chains with various parameters, original weaving and an affordable price. There are a large number of exclusive design solutions for sale for every taste. A lady can choose any piece of jewelry that suits her requirements. The main thing is to approach the choice correctly and then the decoration will give you joy.
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Details that make the difference: locks on gold chains
Finding the right chain is easy when you know what you're looking for. But after that there is a much more important task - not to tear or lose! And here everything depends on the castle you choose.
When choosing a clasp, pay attention to three key points:
- how easy it is to fasten the lock;
- is it reliably protected from unfastening;
- Is it convenient to use the lock without outside help?
Carabiner lock
The simplest and most reliable classic. The loop, falling into the connecting ring, ensures reliable fastening of the carabiner. The lever is easy to pick up and hold with your fingernail, so it’s easy to fasten the chain yourself. The robust design of the carbine allows it to be used on massive gold chains.
Minuses. This mount is quite large, so it is not suitable for thin air weaves.
2,440 UAH 2,940 UAH
9,405 UAH 11,880 UAH
18,734 UAH 23,676 UAH
Springel (ring clasp)
Unlike a carabiner, a spring lock is suitable for fine jewelry. The design is a ring with a movable element between its ends. When you press on a special tongue, it retracts inward, opening the clasp.
When closed, the tip of the moving element should be inside and not touching the end of the ring!
Minuses. It is difficult to fasten such a lock yourself, especially if the girl has long nails. Another drawback is the weak spring, which plays a major role in the mechanism. If it wears out, the element will have to be completely replaced.
2,973 UAH 3,582 UAH
5,856 UAH 7,056 UAH
2,017 UAH 2,430 UAH
Screw mechanism
Most often, such a lock is used in necklaces. It is easy to close and fits perfectly into the overall design of the product.
Minuses. Both ends of the chain are connected to each other with a screw. The thread on it is quite thin, so it wears out quickly with frequent tightening.
Box lock
Box fasteners have an intricate design: a box-shaped part is attached to one end, and a hook is attached to the other end, which fits into the box and is held in place by barbs.
Such locks are used in expensive jewelry because they are quite heavy. Due to the fact that the box lock can easily withstand significant loads, they are placed on massive necklaces and wide chains with large links.
Minuses. Sometimes the mechanism is equipped with additional fixing loops. They make the structure more reliable, but can cling to clothing.
7,040 UAH 8,189 UAH
42,190 UAH 53,297 UAH
111,000 UAH 185,000 UAH
What does the skull on the cross mean?
It would seem that before us is a symbol of salvation and the triumph of life, so why is a skull and crossbones sometimes depicted below on a cross? This cannot be some kind of mystical symbol, because the Christian Church has a negative attitude towards occult knowledge.
Some people associate this image with a reminder of the frailty of earthly life. But there is a better version. According to legend, it was on Golgotha, where Christ suffered martyrdom, that the remains of the first man, Adam, rest. And the blood of the Savior washed the land of the Place of Execution, at the same time washing away the sins of human ancestors.
Chains depending on metal
A pectoral cross may not necessarily be gold. It is made of silver, platinum, metal, stone or wood. If the cross is not metal, then it is best to choose a ribbon or rubber rope with a strong lock. Such crosses are not worn on a chain.
If the cross is gold or silver, then the easiest way is to choose a chain. But what if you only wear gold, and your cross is silver or cast from a metal alloy? But this is the same cross with which you were baptized in church, and you do not plan to part with it.
- If you wear silver and the cross is gold, then you can buy a white gold chain. Then there will be no color dissonance in your image.
- If the cross is silver and you wear gold, then choose a gold chain. The cross will not be visible, as it should be hidden under clothing.
A simple church cross most often has a regular metallic color. You can buy a chain made of white gold or silver for it. The color in any case depends on your decorations and preferences.
Chain weave and width
First of all, you should know one unshakable rule: the weight of the cross should be half the weight of the chain. This applies to both gold, silver and platinum, as well as alloys. When weaving chains, it is best to choose the strongest ones - this could be anchor weaving, bismarck, or shell.
If you choose an openwork chain for a cross, then there may be two drawbacks to it. The first is that the cross should slide along the chain, and in this case it will cling to the protrusions. Secondly, you can easily find a cross where it should not be in principle, for example, on the neck.
Age also plays an important role when choosing a chain for a cross. Older women rarely open their décolleté, unless, of course, they have had lifts. When choosing the length and width of the chain, you must again rely on your wardrobe.
In addition, build should also be taken into account. A thick chain on a thin neck can feel like an anchor chain, so be sure to consider its width and weave when choosing.
How to choose a gold women's chain?
At the beginning of the article we talked about the length of the chain. Such calculations are correct if you choose everyday decoration. For special cases, you can “play” with the length of the chain:
- A short gold chain under the throat will emphasize the elegance of the neck. It is important that the chain does not tighten the neck and cause discomfort;
- Designers suggest women wear long chains as a separate accessory. You can hang a ring on this chain or wrap it around your neck several times. The length can be whatever you like, some fashionable chains can even reach the waist;
- combination of several chains. In 2022, it is fashionable to wear several chains of different lengths, weaves and even alloys. You can combine a short chain without a pendant, a stylish chain with a fashionable weave and a solid gold chain with a pendant;
- chain on hand. Usually girls wear a chain around their neck, but you can wear it on your hand or even on your leg. You can choose a fashionable gold bracelet or put a neck chain with a pendant on your hand.
As a rule, women and girls choose more graceful chain weaves, while men like more massive models. But there are no strict rules in this regard, and it is better to choose an everyday chain based on your style, complexion and ideas about beauty.
