Neck ornaments serve different purposes and have been doing so for ages. In ancient times, neck ornaments were worn as per cultural and religious beliefs.
In today’s time as well, neck ornaments are worn for different purposes such as pendants, chokers for fashion purposes, stone pendants for religious beliefs, and so on.
Necklaces and medallions are two such neck ornaments that serve different purposes. Though they are counted under the same category, that is, they both are associated with wearing as an ornament on the neck.
However, both of them have many dissimilarities and characteristics which make them different from each other.
Key Takeaways
- A necklace is a piece of jewelry worn around the neck, consisting of a chain or string of beads or gems.
- A medallion is a piece of metal or other material, worn as a pendant, stamped or engraved with a design or inscription.
- Necklaces are more varied in design than medallions, which are round.
Necklace vs Medallion
A necklace is a piece of jewelry that is worn around the neck. It can be made of plastic, beads, wood, pearls, gemstones, metals, etc. A Medallion is a large circular or oval ceremonial or decorative item worn loosely around the neck. It has a design or inscription on it with significance.
A necklace is a common word that is used to refer to any type of jewelry that is worn around the neck. Necklaces are one of the most ancient types of jewelry that are worn by people all around the world.
Depending upon several different factors, necklaces can be categorized into multiple categories.
A medallion can be either used as jewelry or as an ornament. A medallion refers to a medal that is awarded to people after they receive victory over something.
For example, a person won an Olympic medal for securing the first position in a sport, such as swimming. The medal that would be rewarded to that person can be referred to as a medallion.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of comparison | Necklace | Medallion |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | A necklace is chain-like jewelry worn loosely around the neck. | A medallion is a medal or medal-like jewelry worn around the neck. |
| Made up of | A necklace is commonly made up of expensive metals such as gold, silver, platinum, etc. | A medallion is made up of metals such as copper, brass, bronze, etc. |
| Different types | Princess necklace, opera necklace, choker necklace, etc. | Bronze medal, silver medal, gold medal, etc. |
| Also known as | Necklet | Medal |
| Cost | Relatively more expensive | Relatively less expensive |
What is a Necklace?
A necklace is one of the most popular types of neck jewelry that is worn for fashion purposes. Depending upon the length of the necklace, it can be categorized into different categories.
A collar necklace is a type of necklace which has the shortest length among the rest of the types of necklaces. On average, the length of a collar necklace is about a minimum of 30 centimeters or 12 inches to a maximum of 33 centimeters or 13 inches.
The length of a choker necklace is a bit longer than a collar necklace. The length of a choker necklace ranges between 35 centimeters or 14 inches to 45 centimeters or 16 inches on average.
A Princess necklace is another type of necklace that has a length equal to about a minimum of 45 centimeters or 18 inches to a maximum of 50 centimeters or 20 inches.
The longest type of necklace is called the opera necklace whose length ranges between 75 centimeters or 30 inches to 90 centimeters or 35 inches.
However, a rope necklace is a longer necklace than an opera necklace, but since it is a type of necklace which is worn after folding two or more times, its length when worn becomes shorter.
What is a Medallion?
A medallion is a neck ornament that can be worn as neck jewelry as well depending upon the type of medallion. A medallion has a badge that can be either circular in shape or oval.
A medallion is associated with a medal that can be worn as jewelry, that is to say, it can be worn as a pendant as well.
Moreover, a medallion can be used in either a wall panel or as a decorative window as well. A typical medallion is a round-shaped disk that is made up of metal and is attached to a ribbon.
The metal badge has intricate designs over it. In most general cases, the metal badge has a design on both sides, however, in some cases, the design is made on one side of the badge only.
Moreover, keeping the design of the medallion in mind, a new type of necklace has been designed which is commonly known as a medallion necklace.
The length of a medallion necklace is the same as that of a medallion, the only difference is that the medallion is made in the form of a necklace. A medallion necklace can be worn along with suit tops, belt clips, swimsuits, shoes, and boots as well.
Main Differences Between Necklace and Medallion
- A necklace is worn for fashion. On the other hand, a Medallion is worn to signify a victory over something.
- In the case of a necklace, the front looks like u shape. Whereas, a Medallion gives a v shape from the front.
- Necklaces are available in different varieties depending upon their length. On the contrary, a Medallion is available in a fixed-length only.
- A necklace is always worn as a piece of jewelry. On the other hand, a medallion might or might not be worn as jewelry.
- A necklace resembles a choker but it is worn loose to the neck. Whereas, a medallion resembles a pendant, which is a type of neck jewelry.
- https://academic.oup.com/jdh/article-abstract/13/2/93/341328
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190962204000039
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