Cuban and curb are close relatives, not one link at two sizes. Both are flattened, twisted links that lie flat — but a Cuban link is thicker in section and shorter relative to its width, so it seats deeply into its neighbour, the gaps close up and the chain carries far more metal. At almost identical widths, our 9,1 mm Cuban weighs 98 g where our 8,9 mm curb weighs 66 g.
That 32 g gap, across 0,2 mm of width, is the whole answer. Everything else follows from it.
Same family, different link
Both chains belong to the same family. Oval links are flattened, then given a half twist so that each one lies flat rather than standing on edge — that twist is what makes a curb chain sit against the skin instead of rolling, and it is the defining feature of the whole family.
A curb keeps the links relatively thin for their width. You can see where one ends and the next begins, and there is visible space between them. The chain has a rhythm to it.
A Cuban link uses a thicker link, shorter relative to its width, so each one seats deep into its neighbour. The gaps close up. From a short distance the chain reads as one continuous piece of metal rather than a row of connected loops.
What that does to the weight
All figures are solid 925 at 50 cm.
| Style | Width | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Curb | 6,4 mm | 43 g |
| Cuban link | 6 mm | 49 g |
| Curb | 8,9 mm | 66 g |
| Cuban link | 9,1 mm | 98 g |
| Curb | 11,3 mm | 113 g |
| Cuban link | 10,5 mm | 130 g |
Read the pairs and the pattern is consistent: the Cuban is heavier every time, including when it is the narrower of the two.
- 6 mm Cuban vs 6,4 mm curb — Cuban is 0,4 mm narrower and 6 g heavier.
- 9,1 mm Cuban vs 8,9 mm curb — 0,2 mm apart, 32 g apart. Roughly 50% more metal.
- 10,5 mm Cuban vs 11,3 mm curb — Cuban is 0,8 mm narrower and 17 g heavier.
So if you compare these two chains by millimetres, you will consistently get the wrong answer about which is the more substantial piece. Our chain thickness guide shows what each width actually looks like worn.
Which is better value
Worth being straightforward about: curb costs less per gram of silver, consistently, at every width we offer. Divide any chain's current price by its published gram weight and you can check that for yourself.
The Cuban premium is real, and it pays for a denser link that takes more work to form and seat. If your priority is the most silver for the money, curb is the honest answer, and we would rather say so than let you find out later.
What the premium buys is the thing a gram figure cannot show: a chain that reads as one continuous piece of metal, and enough weight in it to hold its curve on the neck rather than follow every movement. That is what the Cuban is known for, and it is what we are known for.
How they wear
Cuban is the denser of the two and the one with presence. The closed surface catches light as one continuous form, so a Cuban reads bigger across a room than a curb of the same width, and the extra metal is what gives it authority up close — it holds its shape on the neck instead of moving with every turn of your head. At 6 mm it sits flat under a collar like any everyday chain; from 9 mm up it is the piece the outfit is built around.
Curb is the lighter of the two. Its visible link rhythm keeps it looking like jewellery at any width, so an 11,3 mm curb still reads as a chain rather than as a slab. It suits almost any neckline, and at the same width it is the more understated choice — and the more affordable one.
The clasps are different too
This is the one practical difference that has nothing to do with the link, and it is easy to miss on a product page: our Cuban link fastens with a box clasp; our curb fastens with a lobster clasp.
A box clasp is built into the line of the chain. One end slots into the other and clicks shut, and two small safety clips — one on each side — secure it in addition to that main catch. So there are three separate fastenings holding a Cuban closed, none of them a spring gate that can be pressed open by accident, and more material in the joint than a hook through a ring. That is the fastening you want carrying the weight of a wide chain.
It is also finished to be seen. The clasp is hand-finished like the rest of the chain and sits flush in the profile, which is why a Cuban is often worn with the clasp turned to the front or to one side rather than hidden at the back of the neck — it reads as a section of the chain rather than as hardware. Nothing obliges you to wear it that way; the point is that it is an option a lobster clasp does not really offer.
A lobster clasp is a separate spring-loaded hook, and it is the standard fastening on most chains — ours included: curb, Franco and rope all use one. It is quick, reliable and completely unfussy. What it is not is part of the chain's design: it reads as the component that closes the chain rather than as a section of it, which is why it is normally worn round at the back of the neck.
For most people this will not decide the purchase. Both close easily, both stay closed, and neither is fiddly. The difference is what the fastening is: on the Cuban it is three catches and a finished piece of the chain that you can wear where it shows; on the curb it is a dependable hook that does its job and stays out of the way.
On the wrist, the gap is wider
At 19 cm, our 8,9 mm curb bracelet is 24 g and our 9,1 mm Cuban bracelet is 40 g — a 66% difference, larger than the same comparison at the neck.
Since a bracelet is seen close up with your hand for scale, that difference is more obvious in wear than the numbers suggest. If you want a bracelet that announces itself, Cuban does it at a width where curb still reads as understated.
Which to choose
- One chain that works with everything: a 6 mm Cuban if you want it to read as a chain, a 6,4 mm curb if you want it lighter and quieter. At these widths there is nothing between them on versatility.
- Presence at a given width: Cuban.
- A chain that reads as one solid form: Cuban.
- More metal in a narrower profile: Cuban.
- The lighter and quieter of the two at any width: curb.
- Most grams for the money: curb.
- Something that stays quiet under a collar: neither, particularly — look at Franco instead.
Both are solid 925, made in Italy, in 50, 55 and 60 cm, and both come as bracelets in 19 and 22 cm.
See Cuban link chains → · See curb chains → · All four styles compared →