How to Attach A Pendant To A Necklace: 4 Ways

The pendant necklace has become such a staple part of jewelry accessorizing that many necklace wearers are seeking out ways to expand a pendant collection or start one. This is easy to do because individual pendants now come in a wide variety of designs and themes. It’s also trendy to wear various pendants and chains together in unique ways, meaning you can choose to wear two or more pendants at the same time.

The desire to be more fashionable with pendants can lead to the common question of how to go about attaching a pendant to a necklace of your choice. Sure, you can always slide a pendant onto a chain, but we’re talking about attaching the pendant semi-permanently or permanently in one place so that the necklace looks just the way you want. Consider all of the following attachment methods and choose one or more to create a unique necklace look.

Jump Ring Method

The jump ring is a small connector piece that is commonly used in jewelry making to connect a pendant to a chain. They are usually circular in shape, but they can be made into other shapes such as ovals or squares. Connecting jump rings is typically a simple task requiring a pair of jewelry pliers. Using the pliers, pull the ring slightly apart to create enough space to slip the connector onto one of the links in the necklace. Next, slide jump ring onto the pendant’s connector. Use the pliers to close the jump ring securely.

Bail Method

A bail is a necklace connector that is typically more decorative and weightier than the average jump ring. Bails come in various styles, and they serve the purpose of helping to flatten the pendant against the body when its hanging on the neck, keeping it from twisting around. There are two types of bails – standard and pinched. Standard bails can be used with jump rings to attach a pendant. Pinched bails usually have their own mechanism for opening the bail and attaching it to the pendant. Using this method may require some familiarity with jewelry making techniques.

Head Pin and Eye Pin Method

Head pins are jewelry making wires that come in various thicknesses. It is typically used for pendants with drilled holes. The pin is inserted into the hole of the pendant, and then bent into a lop shape for attaching to a chain. Pliers are needed to wrap the end of the wire around the head of the pin for closure.

The eye pin is a wire with a similar look to the head pin. The difference is that eye pins have a round loop at the top that opens like a jump ring. It is necessary to bend the straight part of the wire to create a secure connection. This method is somewhat time consuming and requires learning a jewelry making technique.

Charm Clip Method

Considering that all of the above methods require patience and a bit of skill with using jewelry pliers, you may be wondering if there is an easier way to connect pendants and necklaces. Yes, there is, and it’s called a charm clip. These clips are small jewelry connectors that already have closures built-in that are easy to open and close. They connect to jump rings that come with the pendant and can be used with corded and chain necklaces.