Hermès Chaîne d'Ancre

In 1937, Robert Dumas watched the anchor chains holding sailboats at mooring along the Normandy coast. The following year, that oval link became the first jewelry piece Hermès ever produced: the Chaîne d'Ancre. Over 100 authenticated pieces are currently listed on JoliCloset, from the bracelet to the necklace, in sterling silver or 18k gold.

Sizes and variants

The bracelet comes in several link sizes, from PM up to TGM by way of MM and GM, typically strung as 7 to 9 links depending on wrist size. The line has grown well beyond the original single chain: the Enchaînée doubles the row of interlocked links, the Punk adds raised spikes, the Game mixes openwork, colored links, and the Farandole, built from smaller links, works equally as a soft bracelet or a long sautoir. The Twist gives the classic link a torsion, the Verso can be worn on either face, and the Chaîne d'Ancre 24 multi-chain layers several rows for a bolder look. The family also includes an enamel bangle, earrings, rings, cufflinks and a pendant built on the same link motif.

Sterling silver or 18k gold

Most Chaîne d'Ancre pieces on the resale market are solid sterling silver, hallmarked 925, which is easier to source and to have repolished. Gold versions turn up less often pre-owned and generally hold their value better over time. Weight is a useful tell when handling a piece: the solid links of a GM silver bracelet feel noticeably heavier than a cast copy in lightweight metal.

Price and resale value

Retail on a silver GM Chaîne d'Ancre bracelet runs roughly 1,500 to 2,000 EUR, while a new Farandole starts around 1,000 EUR depending on length (worth checking against current pricing). On the pre-owned market, the same silver pieces regularly change hands from around 600 EUR, making the line one of the more accessible entry points into Hermès jewelry, alongside the Collier de Chien or the Clic H.

How to authenticate a Chaîne d'Ancre

The "Hermès" wordmark engraved on the toggle clasp should be crisp and centered, never blurry, and it always sits alongside the 925 fineness stamp on silver pieces. A genuine piece typically ships with its pouch and sometimes its original box, and the casting quality shows in the hand: real links have no burrs or sharp seams. Every Chaîne d'Ancre piece listed on JoliCloset is checked by our experts before going live, and past sold listings remain visible in our archive for reference.