★ EVERYDAY · JEWELLERY · REFERENCE TABLE
At the default 18 inches you get a Princess necklace: it sits at the collarbone, 45.7 cm around. Enter any length to find its standard name, where it falls, and its centimetre length — or read the full chart before you buy, so a gift does not arrive two lengths too short.
Necklace lengths have standard names, and the names are what jewellers actually sell by: a Collar, a Choker, a Princess, a Matinee, an Opera, a Rope, or a Lariat. Enter a length and this chart names the nearest standard length, converts it to centimetres, and tells you where it sits — because inches alone do not tell you whether a necklace will clear a collarbone or pool at the bust.
Lengths are measured end to end including the clasp, and centimetres are inches times 2.54, rounded to one decimal place. Where a length falls depends on neck size and body shape as well as inches, so treat the “where it falls” column as the typical fit on an average neck, and measure before ordering a gift.
| Length | Centimetres | Standard name | Where it falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 in | 35.6 cm | Collar | Sits high at the base of the neck, above the collarbone. |
| 16 in | 40.6 cm | Choker | Sits snugly around the neck, just above the collarbone. |
| 18 in | 45.7 cm | Princess | Sits at the collarbone; the most common everyday length. |
| 20 in | 50.8 cm | Matinee | Sits just below the collarbone, above the bust. |
| 24 in | 61.0 cm | Opera | Sits at the bust; long enough to double as a choker when wrapped. |
| 30 in | 76.2 cm | Rope | Falls below the bust, worn long or doubled. |
| 36 in | 91.4 cm | Lariat | Falls to the waist, or wraps into a shorter layered look. |
The lookup names the nearest standard length, and an exact tie rounds up to the longer length, because a necklace that is slightly long still sits where it should while one that is slightly short can feel tight. If your measurement falls between two standards, choose by neckline: a length that sits exactly on a neckline looks fussy, so go one step longer for crew necks and one step shorter for open necklines. A pendant adds about 1–2 inches of drop beyond the chain length, because the pendant hangs below the chain's lowest point — so a Princess chain with a long pendant can read like a Matinee, and a heavy pendant will pull a light chain lower still. To measure a neck, wrap a soft tape around the base of the neck where a collar would sit, add about 2 inches of ease for comfort, and then pick the standard length at or just above that number; for a gift, an 18-inch Princess is the safe default because it suits most necklines and most recipients.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Centimetres | Inches × 2.54 | 18 × 2.54 = 45.7 cm at the default. |
| Standard name | Nearest of 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 30, 36 in | 18 in is a Princess at the default; ties round up. |
| Where it falls | Standard length's typical drop | Princess sits at the collarbone at the default. |
| Pendant drop | Chain length + about 1–2 in | A Princess with a pendant can read like a Matinee. |
Standard names and lengths are the jewellery trade's conventions, not a law of nature: individual makers vary by an inch or two, adjustable chains and extenders blur the boundaries, and clasp style changes the measured length slightly. Where a length falls also depends on neck circumference, shoulder slope, and bust height, so two people wearing the same 18-inch Princess will not see it sit in exactly the same place. This chart names the nearest standard and the typical fit; for a made-to-order or very expensive piece, measure the wearer's neck and, if possible, try the length on before committing.
Bright Side Kit. "Necklace Length Chart: Inches, Drop & How Each Fits" https://brightoolbox.com/necklace-length-chart/ Accessed October 24, 2026.18 inches, a Princess, sitting at the collarbone (45.7 cm). It suits most necklines and is the safe default for a gift.
45.7 cm: 18 times 2.54, rounded to one decimal place.
16 inches (40.6 cm), sitting snugly around the neck just above the collarbone. A 14-inch Collar sits higher still, at the base of the neck.
20 inches (50.8 cm), sitting just below the collarbone and above the bust. It is the step up from a Princess when 18 inches feels short.
24 inches (61.0 cm), sitting at the bust. It is long enough to double-wrap into a choker-style loop.
A pendant adds about 1–2 inches of drop below the chain, so a Princess chain with a long pendant can read like a Matinee. Buy the chain a step shorter if the pendant must land high.
Choose by neckline: go one step longer for crew necks so the necklace does not sit on the fabric edge, and one step shorter for open necklines. This chart's lookup rounds exact ties up to the longer length.
Wrap a soft tape around the base of the neck where a collar would sit, add about 2 inches of ease for comfort, then pick the standard length at or just above that number.