Throughout history, jewelry has played a central role in royal culture. Kings, queens, and noble families used necklaces, pendants, and precious adornments to communicate identity, commemorate important milestones, and showcase personal taste. While today’s jewelry market serves a much broader audience, the desire for pieces that feel personal and meaningful remains closely tied to that tradition.
LINK Necklaces, a New York-based jewelry company founded in 2020, has built its business around customization and interchangeability. Rather than offering only fixed designs, the company allows customers to select individual chains, pendants, clasps, and other components to create jewelry that reflects their own preferences. The model reflects a modern shift toward personalization while drawing on a centuries-old connection between jewelry and self-expression.
The company has reported significant growth since launching as a full-time business. Revenue increased from $750,000 in 2024 to $1.7 million in 2025. As consumer demand for customizable products continues to grow, LINK Necklaces occupies a distinct position within the affordable luxury jewelry segment.
Personalization Reflects a Tradition Once Reserved for Royalty
Historically, royal jewelry collections evolved. Monarchs often added new gemstones, pendants, and symbolic pieces to existing collections, creating jewelry that reflected changing events, achievements, and family stories.
LINK Necklaces applies a similar concept through a modular system that allows customers to modify and expand their jewelry rather than replacing it entirely.
How the System Works
Customers can purchase components separately, including:
- Chains in different styles and lengths
- Pendants and charms
- Bracelets
- Pendant hoop earrings
- Individual clasps and hardware
This structure allows jewelry to change alongside the wearer. A necklace assembled today can be updated months later with new pendants, different chain lengths, or meaningful additions.
The company reports that founder Boukje, known as “B,” designs and releases approximately four new pendants every month. This ongoing introduction of new designs supports repeat customization opportunities for customers who want their collections to evolve.
Fashion icon Iris Apfel highlighted the role of jewelry in personal style when she said, “I think jewelry is the most transformative of all accessories. By just changing the kind of jewelry you wear with a little black dress, you can go from day to night. My mother taught me that if funds are limited, get a few well-cut basics and add personality with jewelry. Through your choice of accessories, you make them individual and make them your own.”
That perspective closely aligns with LINK’s emphasis on customer-driven design.
Affordable Luxury for Everyday Wear
Royal jewelry has traditionally been associated with rarity and exclusivity. However, modern consumers often seek pieces that deliver visual impact without the costs associated with fine jewelry collections.
LINK Necklaces positions itself between high-end jewelry and mass-produced fashion accessories. According to the company, most pieces are crafted from high-quality brass with heavy 18k gold or silver plating and finished with an anti-tarnish lacquer coating.
Key Characteristics of the Collection
- High-end aesthetic at accessible price points
- Modular pieces designed for repeated use
- Tarnish-resistant finishes
- Components sold individually rather than exclusively as sets
- Average order values between $75 and $80
The company describes its approach as affordable luxury, appealing to customers who want flexibility in how they wear and update their jewelry.
Model Karen Elson has commented on the enduring importance of adaptable jewelry, noting, “Trends come and go, and style evolves. It’s important to have pieces of jewelry that are timeless and look chic despite ever-changing fashions.”
A Boutique Assembly Process Inspired by Craftsmanship
Royal jewelers were traditionally known for their attention to detail and hand-finished craftsmanship. While the modern jewelry industry often relies on large-scale fulfillment operations, LINK Necklaces maintains a more hands-on process.
Staff members known as “linkers” assemble customers’ chosen components before shipment. Rather than receiving separate parts, customers receive a completed piece assembled according to their selections.
What Happens Before an Order Ships?
The company’s process includes:
- Selecting individual components.
- Assembling the chosen design.
- Inspecting the finished piece.
- Packaging the order for delivery.
This approach contributes to what the company describes as a boutique opening experience. Premium pouches and packaging materials are used to create a presentation that reflects the personalized nature of the order.
The assembly process also highlights the company’s small-business structure. Unlike many larger jewelry operations, the team remains closely involved in preparing individual orders.
Business data suggests this strategy supports customer retention. The company reports a repeat purchase rate of 35% to 40% and an estimated customer lifetime value of approximately $130.
Functional Design Supports Everyday Wear
Jewelry worn by royalty was often designed to balance appearance with practicality. Modern consumers continue to value pieces that combine aesthetics with functionality. One of LINK Necklaces’ most distinctive features is its signature circular push-in clasp.
Why the Clasp Matters
The push-in mechanism differs from traditional pull-open clasps in several ways:
- It is designed to remain securely closed during wear.
- It helps reduce accidental opening.
- It supports the modular nature of the jewelry system.
- It can be purchased separately as an individual component.
According to the founder, the clasp is among the products she hopes the brand becomes most recognized for in the future. Although some customers initially require instruction on how the mechanism operates, the design serves both practical and stylistic purposes within the broader collection.
Founder Design Creates Strong Customer Connections
Royal collections often carried personal stories tied to significant life events, family history, and individual identity. LINK Necklaces incorporates a similar emphasis on meaning through direct customer engagement.
The company primarily serves women aged 55 to 65 and older, while also working to expand further into the 40-plus demographic. According to the brand, many customers appreciate the opportunity to communicate directly with the founder regarding custom concepts and design ideas.
This founder-led approach has helped shape a community centered on personal stories and meaningful jewelry selections. Customers frequently work with the company to create pieces that commemorate milestones, relationships, and family memories.
Iris Apfel once remarked, “Jewelry is the most transformative thing you can wear.” That observation reflects a broader trend within the jewelry industry, where personalization continues to influence purchasing decisions.
Final Thoughts
As LINK Necklaces works toward its future growth goals, its focus remains on interchangeable design, accessible pricing, and customer participation. In a market increasingly shaped by individuality, the company offers a modern interpretation of a tradition that has long connected jewelry with identity, storytelling, and personal legacy.