Necklace Length Guide
Turn a necklace style into a finished length and a bead or link count for the size of bead you are using.
At a glance
- What you enter
- Necklace style, Bead size, Custom bead diameter, Include a clasp allowance
- What you get
- Finished necklace length, Beads needed, Chain links at 6 mm, Finished length in centimetres
- Formula shown
- Yes, every step, right below your results.
- Cost and privacy
- Free, no account needed, and nothing you type is stored.
See worked examples ↓ Read the FAQ ↓ Share this calculator ↓
Results are estimates for general information only, always verify with a professional or official source before acting on them.
How to use the Necklace Length Guide
- 1 Enter Necklace style, The style name defines the working length.
- 2 Enter Bead size, Leave at custom to enter your own bead diameter.
- 3 Enter Custom bead diameter (mm)
- 4 Enter Include a clasp allowance, Adds half an inch for the clasp and its jump rings.
- 5 Press Calculate. You get Finished necklace length, Beads needed, Chain links at 6 mm, Finished length in centimetres, and every intermediate step stays visible under "How is this calculated?"
- 6 Change one number at a time to see what moves the result, that is usually the most useful thing a calculator can tell you.
Worked examples
Real numbers run through this calculator. Open any example to load it into the form above and change it.
Princess necklace in 6 mm beads
A collarbone length necklace of 6 millimetre round beads with a standard clasp.
You enter
- Necklace style
- 2
- Bead size
- 6
- Custom bead diameter
- 0 mm
- Include a clasp allowance
- Yes
You get
- Finished necklace length
- 18.00 in
- Beads needed
- 77
- Chain links at 6 mm
- 77
- Finished length in centimetres
- 45.72 cm
About 76 beads for 18 inches of finished necklace.
Opera length seed bead strand
A 30 inch strand of size 8/0 seed beads at 3 millimetres with a clasp.
You enter
- Necklace style
- 4
- Bead size
- 3
- Custom bead diameter
- 0 mm
- Include a clasp allowance
- Yes
You get
- Finished necklace length
- 30.50 in
- Beads needed
- 259
- Chain links at 6 mm
- 130
- Finished length in centimetres
- 77.47 cm
A long strand takes a serious quantity of seed beads, so buy by the tube rather than the pack.
Rope of large beads
A 40 inch rope of 10 millimetre beads with no clasp, worn doubled.
You enter
- Necklace style
- 5
- Bead size
- 10
- Custom bead diameter
- 0 mm
- Include a clasp allowance
- No
You get
- Finished necklace length
- 40.00 in
- Beads needed
- 102
- Chain links at 6 mm
- 170
- Finished length in centimetres
- 101.60 cm
Almost exactly 100 beads, which makes a rope an easy design to order for.
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