ABOUT US
Gorgeous Chain was started in 2001 by Keith Barch, our head armorer and beloved artist.
Many other chainmaillers make armor and jewelry but the thing that separates Keith is that he is passionate about creating items that stretch the imagination. To put it another way, he is dedicated to making chainmaille products that no one else has thought to create before. Such innovative designs include our steampunk copper spats, our top hat, and the famous #ScaleMailleMermaidTail. His middle name really should be ‘innovation-in-design’….except that it’s a mouthful and a really terrible middle name.
Gorgeous Chain also is stringent on the consistent quality of product. Every single link is perfectly closed. People worry (and sometimes rightly so) about chainmaille catching on skin, clothing and hair. Keith’s personal quality control prevents exactly that. The micromaille feels like cloth and bra-tops are guaranteed to not pinch or grab uncomfortably. If you are unhappy with any part of your custom order, ship it back to us and we will correct the issue. We are also happy to trade out any hooks or clasps of our jewelry for a better fit and your comfort.
Gorgeous Chain works in a wide range of materials limited only by our supplier and the constantly changing prices of semi-precious metals such as copper and titanium. Our anodized (colored) aluminum comes in a wide range of colors and we are more than willing to do custom color combinations for your school, sports team, or comic book/magical school allegiances.
Many other chainmaillers make armor and jewelry but the thing that separates Keith is that he is passionate about creating items that stretch the imagination. To put it another way, he is dedicated to making chainmaille products that no one else has thought to create before. Such innovative designs include our steampunk copper spats, our top hat, and the famous #ScaleMailleMermaidTail. His middle name really should be ‘innovation-in-design’….except that it’s a mouthful and a really terrible middle name.
Gorgeous Chain also is stringent on the consistent quality of product. Every single link is perfectly closed. People worry (and sometimes rightly so) about chainmaille catching on skin, clothing and hair. Keith’s personal quality control prevents exactly that. The micromaille feels like cloth and bra-tops are guaranteed to not pinch or grab uncomfortably. If you are unhappy with any part of your custom order, ship it back to us and we will correct the issue. We are also happy to trade out any hooks or clasps of our jewelry for a better fit and your comfort.
Gorgeous Chain works in a wide range of materials limited only by our supplier and the constantly changing prices of semi-precious metals such as copper and titanium. Our anodized (colored) aluminum comes in a wide range of colors and we are more than willing to do custom color combinations for your school, sports team, or comic book/magical school allegiances.
HISTORY OF CHAINMAILLE
Chainmaille is an ancient craft dating back to roughly 600 BCE and ending as late as 20th century Sudan. The earliest recorded use of chainmaille was the Scythians as late as the 3rd century B.C.E. The absorption of the Scythians into various other cultures that adopted and adapted many of their technologies (including chainmaille) accounts for the various types of weaves we see today. By the 13th century maille smithing was a prized and highly valuable skill. Chainmaille armor is designed to be ablative (designed to be destroyed by use) for easier repair. Although never widely used in the East chainmaille had heavy and widespread use by the Europeans until the 15th century when blades started to become thinner and lighter. The widespread use of it had stopped by the 17th century. In the last twenty years, chainmaille has experienced a resurrection as an arts craft.
