I was looking for a very specific piece of jewelry. I wanted an edgy, durable, punk-style necklace. Something that would last. Every time I searched for "mens necklace near me" online, I was flooded with cheap options.
I made three terrible mistakes buying cheap chains. Each one cost around $50. I wasted $150 on necklaces that lasted less than a month combined. I also wasted weeks waiting for the mail, only to be disappointed. I wish I had found the Harajuku Double Layer Black Heart Pendant Pearl Chain Choker earlier. It would have saved me so much hassle.
Here is what I learned the hard way:
My first purchase was a heavy-looking chain from a website that promised "premium materials." It was cheap. I did not check the material type. I just looked at the low price.
The necklace looked shiny when it arrived. But after just three days, the plating started to chip. Within a week, the chain looked dull and spotted. It even started leaving a grayish mark on my skin. This happens when companies use super thin plating over a cheap base metal like zinc.
Action Step: Always check the material listing. If it does not explicitly say "316L Stainless Steel," assume it is bad quality. 316L is what you need for durability and tarnish resistance. If the price seems too good to be true, it is.
Verdict: Super cheap jewelry means thin plating. Thin plating fades in one week.
My second mistake was buying a chain that looked massive and substantial in the product photos. I was looking for a big, goth-style piece. The pictures made the chain look like it was an inch thick.
When the package came, the necklace was tiny. It was maybe 3 millimeters wide. It looked fragile. The photos were taken extremely close up. This made the chain look much bigger than it was in real life. They were hiding the small size.
Here is how you avoid this:
Verdict: Check the mm width. Buyer photos are your best friend for scale.
My third attempt was also a fail. I bought a double-layer pendant chain because it was marked down 70%. It looked like a great deal. I glanced at the reviews and saw mostly four and five stars, so I clicked buy fast.