18 karat gold solid, vintage mariner necklace. The Story Behind the Link:

Often called the "coffee bean" link, this design is actually a Calabrote link- steeped in maritime history. The word "calabrote" originates from the historical Spanish and Portuguese term for the massive, heavy-duty mooring cables used to tie down large ships and ocean liners in port.

When naval engineering advanced from hemp ropes to iron chains in the 19th century, shipbuilders designed this specific "puffy" oval shape with a central cross-bar. The rounded, bulbous structure was engineered for maximum strength to distribute thousands of pounds of ocean tension evenly, while the central bar prevented the chain from bending inward or tangling under pressure. This is also seen ain a traditional mariner link - more like a cable link with a crossbar.

In the mid-20th century, Italian and French jewelers adapted this rugged naval hardware into a chain link. However, because the bold, three-dimensional Calabrote link requires a massive volume of metal, most puffed mariner chains on the market today are hollow. 

This particular piece is an exception: it is crafted from solid 18K gold. It retains the three-dimensional architecture of the original maritime mooring chains, giving it a heavy, unmistakable drape and weighty feel on the neckline that hollow jewelry simply cannot replicate. A solid gold piece of nautical history. 17" long, 70g and closes with a lobster clasp. The large, oval shaped links are about 8 mm wide.