Chain link, chain made therefrom and method of chain manufacture

A chain comprising a plurality of similarly configured elongated links, each of said links comprising a shaft portion having first and second opposing ends defining therebetween a longitudinal axis for said link, an enlargement portion connected to said shaft portion at said first end, said enlargement portion having a width which is greater than a width of said shaft portion at said first end, and a mandorla shaped portion connected to said shaft portion at said second end and having first and second apertures serially arranged along said longitudinal axis, said first aperture being closest to said shaft and said second aperture being remote from said shaft, and the apertures being shaped so as to prevent the enlargement portion of another one of said similarly configured links from passing therethrough, wherein:

• a) the shaft portion of a second one of said links passes through the first aperture of a first one of said links;
• b) the shaft portion of a third one of said links passes through said first aperture of said second one of said links, and positioned so that said first and third links are substantially parallel to one another and their mandorla and enlargement portions are oriented in the same direction;
• c) the shaft portion of a fourth one of said links passes through said first aperture of said third one of said links and also through said second aperture of said first one of said links, and positioned so that said second and fourth links are substantially parallel to one another and their mandorla and enlargement portions are oriented in the same direction, said first, second, third and fourth links, when so arranged forming a parallelogram shape;
• and
• d) additional links are arranged with their shafts passing through respective apertures of other ones of said links so as to repeat the parallelogram shaped pattern established by steps a) through c) with said additional links, for forming a chain of any desired length.

A method of forming a jewelry chain comprising a plurality of similarly configured elongated links, each of said links comprising a shaft portion having first and second opposing ends defining therebetween a longitudinal axis for said link, an enlargement portion connected to said shaft portion at said first end, said enlargement portion having a width which is greater than a width of said shaft portion at said first end, and a mandorla shaped portion connected to said shaft portion at said second end and having first and second apertures serially arranged along said longitudinal axis, said first aperture being closest to said shaft and said second aperture being remote from said shaft, and said apertures each having a shape so as to prevent the enlargement portion of another one of said similarly configured links from passing therethrough, comprising the following steps:

• a) inserting the shaft portion of a second one of said links through the first aperture of a first one of said links;
• b) inserting the shaft portion of a third one of said links through said first aperture of said second one of said links, and positioning them so that said first and third links are substantially parallel to one another and their mandorla and enlargement portions are oriented in the same direction;
• c) inserting the shaft portion of a fourth one of said links through said first aperture of said third one of said links and then through said second aperture of said first one of said links, and positioning them so that said second and fourth links are substantially parallel to one another and their mandorla and enlargement portions are oriented in the same direction, so that said first, second, third and fourth links, when so arranged form a parallelogram shape;
• d) repeating the parallelogram shaped pattern established by steps a) through c) with additional links, for forming a chain of any desired length.