Disclosure:The example chains in this guide are from Ronatelli. Widths, prices, and ratings were read from ronatelli.com on October 28, 2026; the buying advice applies to any brand.
Ask a man to picture a silver chain, and he will probably picture a Cuban: flat, polished links that lie close to the chest and catch the light. It is also the easiest chain to overpay for, because one name covers a slim 4 mm curb, a 9 mm Miami Cuban several times its weight, and hollow or plated copies that look identical in a photo. This guide covers what makes a chain Cuban, which width suits you, what a solid chain should weigh at 20, 22, and 24 inches, where it sits, and which clasp to trust.
Key takeaways
- A Cuban is a curb with rounder, tighter links; a Miami Cuban packs them tighter still. All three lie flat and don’t kink.
- Width: 4 to 5 mm for an everyday Cuban, 6 to 7 mm when the chain is the piece, 8 mm and up as a bold statement.
- Check the grams. A solid sterling Cuban at 22″ weighs about 26 to 42 g at 4 to 5 mm, 46 to 73 g at 6 to 7 mm, and 77 to 117 g at 8 to 9 mm. Much lighter usually means hollow.
- Length: 20″ or 22″ for most men, just below the collarbone or a little lower.
- Clasp: from about 7 mm up, a box clasp with a safety latch; on a slimmer Cuban, a large lobster clasp is fine.
In this guide Curb or Cuban Width Weight Length Clasp Examples Care FAQ
Curb, Cuban, and Miami Cuban
Every Cuban link chain is a curb chain. A curb is made of oval links, each one twisted so the chain lies flat, and because every link is closed and takes the load the same way, it is strong and doesn’t kink. In US retail, “Cuban” usually means a curb with rounder, thicker links set closer together, and “Miami Cuban” the heaviest version, with links packed so tightly that the chain looks like one solid band. Sellers use the three names loosely, so judge a listing by its width and weight, not by what it is called.
The finish is a matter of taste. Flat curb links are often diamond-cut, with angled facets that flash in the light; rounder Cuban links are usually polished to a smooth, continuous shine. Our guide to chain styles sets the curb family beside the other common weaves, and our Cuban link bracelet guide covers the same links on the wrist, if you want a matching pair.
Width: from 4 to 12 mm
Width decides how loud a Cuban is, and the effect grows faster than you might expect, because the links get thicker as they get wider. A 9 mm chain doesn’t look a little wider than a 7 mm one; it looks like a different class of chain.
| Width | How it reads | Wear it |
|---|---|---|
| 4–5 mm | How it readsEveryday: visible, never loud | Wear itOn its own or with a light pendant, over a T-shirt or with an open collar |
| 6–7 mm | How it readsClearly a statement | Wear itOn its own, over a T-shirt or an open collar |
| 8–9 mm | How it readsBold | Wear itWhen the chain is meant to be the main piece |
| 10–12 mm | How it readsHeavy | Wear itOnly in solid silver, and only if you want 130 g or more around your neck |
For a first Cuban, 4 to 5 mm is hard to get wrong; it is the width our chain styles guide calls the sweet spot for a curb worn every day. Go wider when the chain is meant to be the piece, and let your build guide you: on a broad chest and a thick neck, 7 mm can look as balanced as 5 mm does on a slim frame.
Weight: solid, hollow, or plated
A photo can’t show what is inside a link, which makes the Cuban the easiest chain to fake. Hollow links are bent from tube: they look the same as solid ones but often weigh 30 to 50 percent less, and some as little as a third as much. They dent when they are knocked, can collapse if the chain is pulled or slept on, and a dented hollow link usually can’t be repaired. Plated brass or copper looks right for a few months, then wears through at the edges. The number that tells you what you are buying is the weight in grams.
| Width | 20″ | 22″ | 24″ | Per inch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4–5 mm | 20″24–38 g | 22″26–42 g | 24″29–46 g | Per inch1.2–1.9 g |
| 6–7 mm | 20″42–66 g | 22″46–73 g | 24″50–79 g | Per inch2.1–3.3 g |
| 8–9 mm | 20″70–106 g | 22″77–117 g | 24″84–127 g | Per inch3.5–5.3 g |
| 10–12 mm | 20″118–188 g | 22″130–207 g | 24″142–226 g | Per inch5.9–9.4 g |
Three listings we checked fit the table: a 6 mm sterling Cuban made in Italy, at about 49 g in 20″, 54 g in 22″, and 59 g in 24″; a 7 mm Miami Cuban at 66 g in 22″; and an 8 mm solid sterling Miami Cuban at about 90 g in 22″. If a listing gives no weight, ask for it before you buy, then check the stamp: 925 or STERLING on the clasp or an end tag. Our guide to telling real silver from plated covers the stamp and the tests you can do at home.
The grams also tell you how much silver you are paying for. Our chain buying guide shows how to work out a chain’s silver value from its weight, and why a well-made chain costs well above it.
Length: where a Cuban sits
Most men wear a Cuban at 20″ or 22″. On a 15″ to 16″ neck, 20″ sits just below the collarbone, at the neckline of a T-shirt; 22″ sits a couple of inches lower, over the shirt, and suits a broad build or a bigger neck. Ronatelli’s size guide calls 22″ the most common men’s length and suggests going one size longer for a broad build. To find yours, measure your neck and add 4″; our chain length guide has the full chart.
Longer works in two cases. At 24″ a Cuban sits mid-chest, which suits it as the lower, heavier chain in a layered pair, under a slimmer chain at 20″; our guide to layering chains covers the spacing. And if you add a pendant, go to 22″ or 24″ so it shows over the shirt, after checking that its bail clears the chain and the clasp; our guide to the best chain for a pendant explains the fit.
Clasp: box or lobster
On a heavy chain the clasp does the hardest work, and a Cuban usually closes with one of two.
- Box clasp with a safety latch. A tongue on one end slides into a box on the other until it clicks, and a latch on the side, or one or two figure-eight catches, closes over a pin as a backup. It is the standard on Cubans from about 7 mm up and on almost every Miami Cuban, and the more secure of the two. To open it, lift the latch and press the tab on the tongue.
- Lobster clasp. A spring-loaded claw with a trigger. It is the default on slimmer Cubans and fine on a heavier one if it is large and snaps shut firmly; on a 4 to 5 mm chain, look for one 12 to 14 mm long, which you can work with one hand.
Whichever clasp you get, check that the end links are soldered shut and that a box clasp clicks home firmly. A clasp that closes softly will one day open on its own.
Curb chains at Ronatelli: the Cana and the Fulda
Ronatelli’s chain collection has two chains in the curb family, both 7 mm wide and both sold in 20″, 22″, 24″, and 26″ at the same price for every length. The widths come from the product pages and the clasps from the product photos.
| Chain | Width | Clasp | Price | Rating (reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cana: curb chain | Width7 mm | ClaspBox clasp, side latch | Price$499 | Rating (reviews)4.8 (79) |
| Fulda: engraved curb chain | Width7 mm | ClaspLobster | Price$439 | Rating (reviews)4.9 (56) |
The Cana is the plain one: polished curb links with no engraving, closed with the box clasp a 7 mm chain calls for. Ronatelli lists it as a curb chain; its 7 mm Cana bracelet is sold as a Cuban link, so the two make a matching set. The Fulda has the same width, but Ronatelli says every link is engraved by hand with scrollwork, so it reads as a plain curb from a distance and as ornament up close; it closes with a lobster clasp. At 7 mm, both are statement chains, best worn on their own over a T-shirt or an open collar, and neither takes one of Ronatelli’s pendants, which fit chains up to 6 mm.
If you want a first, everyday Cuban at 4 to 5 mm, Ronatelli doesn’t make one: its narrowest curb is the 7 mm pair. Its 4 mm Sergo foxtail and Duomo cable are the everyday widths in the collection, and our comparison of all ten Ronatelli chains covers the rest.
Care: keeping the links bright
Polished links show wear first. Tarnish collects in the gaps between the links, and fine scratches show on the flat faces. A polishing cloth handles the faces; for the gaps, a few minutes in warm water with a drop of dish soap and a soft toothbrush does more, followed by a thorough dry. Skip silver dips on an engraved chain like the Fulda, because the dark recesses are part of the design and a dip strips them. Keep the chain out of pools and hot tubs, take it off for the gym, store it flat with the clasp closed, and check every few months that the clasp still snaps shut. Our guide to cleaning sterling silver at home covers the safe methods.
FAQ
What is the difference between a Cuban link and a curb chain?
A Cuban link is a kind of curb. Both use twisted oval links that lie flat; a Cuban’s links are rounder, thicker, and packed more tightly, so it weighs more at the same width. A Miami Cuban is the tightest and heaviest version.
What width Cuban chain should a man wear?
4 to 5 mm for an everyday chain, 6 to 7 mm when the chain is the main piece, and 8 mm or more as a bold statement. A broad build carries a wider chain.
How much should a sterling silver Cuban chain weigh?
At 22 inches, a solid one weighs about 26 to 42 g at 4 to 5 mm, 46 to 73 g at 6 to 7 mm, and 77 to 117 g at 8 to 9 mm. One that is much lighter is probably hollow.
What length Cuban chain should I get?
20 or 22 inches for most men. On an average neck, 20 inches sits just below the collarbone and 22 inches a couple of inches lower, which suits a broad build. Measure your neck and add 4 inches.
Is a hollow Cuban chain worth buying?
Only as a short-term piece. Hollow links dent and can collapse, and a dented link usually can’t be repaired, so for a chain you wear every day, a solid one at a narrower width is the better buy.
Can you put a pendant on a Cuban chain?
Yes, on a slimmer one. The pendant’s bail has to pass over the chain and its clasp with about 1 mm to spare, which rules out most wide Cubans. Miami Cubans are usually worn alone.
Bottom line
Buy a Cuban by width, weight, and clasp, in that order. For a first chain, a solid 4 to 5 mm Cuban at 20″ or 22″ suits almost every man; go to 6 or 7 mm when the chain is meant to be the piece, and from 7 mm up look for a box clasp with a safety latch. Before you pay, check the grams against the table above: a chain far below its band is probably hollow.
From the collection
Men’s sterling silver chains by Ronatelli
Ten handmade 925 chains, from a 2 mm snake chain to a 7 mm curb, in 20 to 26 inches. Every length is the same price.
Related guides
Link definitions follow our chain styles guide, and the weights per inch our Cuban bracelet guide. The listing weights are from a 6 mm Cuban chain by Luke Zion Jewelry, a 7 mm Miami Cuban chain sold at Sam’s Club, and an 8 mm Miami Cuban chain from Miami Links. Ronatelli widths, prices, ratings, and its size guide come from its product pages, and the clasps from its product photos. All were checked on October 28, 2026, and may have changed since. Read our editorial policy.
