If you like what Craftd London makes but you live in the EU, the thing that decides your final price is which side of a customs border the parcel starts on. Craftd's EU storefront ships from its UK warehouse. Cernucci also ships from the UK, but prepays duty and tax. Steel & Barnett is produced in Belgium. DeRuiterDR ships from the Netherlands. Same material class, four different customs situations.
Below, four brands on what decides whether a chain is worth its price: material, guarantee, dispatch country and price, all from each brand's own published pages at the time of writing. Neither customs approach is wrong — you just want to know which one you are buying into, because it also sets what a return will cost you.
Since Brexit, the border matters more than the distance
Inside the EU there is free movement of goods. A parcel from the Netherlands to Germany, France or Ireland arrives as a domestic parcel: no declaration, no import VAT at the door, no courier handling fee, and a return that stays inside the customs union.
A parcel from outside the EU is a different transaction: it has to be declared, import VAT applies, and above certain thresholds duty applies too. Since Brexit that includes parcels from the United Kingdom, which is where the confusion starts — a British sender feels local from Amsterdam or Berlin, but customs treats it as a third country.
How much of that reaches you depends on the brand, not the distance. Some prepay it: Cernucci's shipping page states they ship to UK and EU customers with duty and taxes paid, and their FAQ repeats that there will be "no custom/import fees for anybody in the UK, EU, Australia, Norway or Switzerland." Craftd takes the other approach and says so openly — their EU shipping page states they are "not responsible for any import or custom fees".
Craftd London: what they publish
Craftd's materials page is unusually specific, and that is to their credit. They state 316L stainless steel as the base, "the reason your CRAFTD pieces will Never Tarnish, Rust, or Fade", with gold pieces "plated with a generous coating of Real 18k Gold" and rhodium as a final layer. Their chains collection describes the range as water and sweat-proof, and the site references a lifetime guarantee on all items.
Now the part that gets misreported: Craftd runs a separate storefront per market, and they do not dispatch from the same place. The US site states same-day shipping from a warehouse in Ohio. The EU site states orders ship "directly from our UK warehouse", with DHL tracked delivery in 2 to 5 days at €9.95, or free over €90. From inside the EU your parcel starts in the UK, not Ohio.
On the EU storefront at the time of writing, the chains collection ran from €34.99 to €261.75, with a 2 mm Connell from about €39.74 and an 8 mm gold Cuban from about €63.74. Those figures were visibly discounted, and price, currency and promotion all differ by storefront and region, so read them as a band, not a quote.
So: a well-specified 316L and 18K plated product with a lifetime guarantee, dispatched into the EU across a customs border. Returns run 14 days from delivery with no prepaid label, and the British storefront lists a Northampton return address. The import charge and the cost of posting it back are both yours.
Cernucci: the UK option
Cernucci is the closest in aesthetic if you want iced-out and tennis styles rather than plain links. Their FAQ lists base metals as 925 sterling silver, 316L surgical grade stainless steel and brass, with 18k yellow gold and rhodium or palladium plating. With three base metals in the range, what you get depends on the piece, so check the product page.
Their guarantee is 12 months, covering a one-time free replacement for a manufacturing defect on plated and vermeil pieces; scratches and breakage are excluded. Their shipping page states all orders are fulfilled from the UK, with standard delivery to the Netherlands at £5.99 in 3 to 5 working days. Same border as Craftd — the difference is that Cernucci settles the paperwork before the parcel reaches you. Chains on their UK storefront ran from about £25 to £105, in pounds.
Steel & Barnett: designed and produced in Belgium
Steel & Barnett sits closer to a fashion-accessory register than a chain shop, with a lot of leather and beaded work alongside the steel. Their FAQ states all metals used for their bracelets are 316L stainless steel, with 18K gold plated versions on some products, produced in Belgium. Dispatch is from European warehouses with DPD in 1 to 5 working days, so for an EU buyer no border is crossed.
Their guarantee is 12 months from purchase with exchange on a defect, and returns run to 30 days on unworn items — the most generous window here. Steel bracelets were listed at roughly $58 to $85, in dollars. Their collection copy calls the steel range waterproof and tarnish-free, though the FAQ gives no water guidance per piece, which matters if you buy a leather or beaded design.
DeRuiterDR: the Dutch option
This is our own shop, so judge it on the same four criteria. DeRuiterDR — men's jewellery in 316L surgical steel and 18K gold plating, waterproof, with a lifetime warranty, shipped from the Netherlands/Europe. Prices run from €24 to €139, and the warranty is specifically against discolouration. Dispatch is from the Netherlands, so for an EU buyer there is no declaration, no import charge, and a return that stays inside the EU.
Where we are not the answer: for moissanite, tennis chains or iced-out pieces, Cernucci has a far deeper range, and for leather and bead work Steel & Barnett does that properly while we do not do it at all. We make plain, classic links — a 5 mm Cuban chain at €59, the 8 mm version at €79, a 5 mm Rope at €59 — plus pendants such as a small cross at €59. The full spread is in the bestsellers collection.
The comparison table
| Brand | Material as published | Guarantee | Ships from | Price band (as listed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craftd London | 316L stainless steel, real 18k gold plating, rhodium coating | Lifetime guarantee on all items; 14-day returns, buyer pays return postage | EU storefront: UK warehouse, DHL tracked, €9.95 or free over €90. US storefront: Ohio. Not responsible for import or customs fees | Chains €34.99 to €261.75 on the EU storefront, discounted at the time of writing |
| Cernucci | 925 sterling silver, 316L steel or brass depending on the piece; 18k gold and rhodium/palladium plating | 12 months, one-time free replacement for manufacturing defects on plated and vermeil pieces | UK warehouse; ships to UK and EU with duty and taxes paid, so no customs fees at your door | Chains about £25 to £105 on the UK storefront |
| Steel & Barnett | 316L stainless steel on bracelets, 18K gold plated on some pieces | 12 months from date of purchase, exchange for a new item on a defect; 30-day returns | Produced in Belgium; dispatched from European warehouses with DPD | Steel bracelets roughly $58 to $85 |
| DeRuiterDR | 316L surgical steel, 18K gold plating over that steel, waterproof | Lifetime warranty against discolouration | Netherlands/Europe, no customs inside the EU | €24 to €139 |
All figures come from each brand's own storefront at the time of writing. Currencies and promotions differ by region, so use the bands to compare brands against each other.
How to read the differences
Material claims are close, so read the base metal, not the plating. All four use 316L somewhere; the variable is what sits underneath on a given piece. Brass contains copper, which is what causes green marks on skin — not a bad material, just a different maintenance proposition.
A lifetime and a 12-month guarantee are different promises, so read what each covers. A lifetime warranty against discolouration covers the failure mode that actually happens with plated jewellery; a 12-month defect guarantee covers manufacturing faults. Neither covers scratches or dents.
Sizing is the same everywhere. Men's chains run 45, 50, 55 or 60 cm (roughly 18, 20, 22 and 24 inches), and bracelets are wrist measurement plus 1.5 to 2 cm.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Craftd London ship from?
It depends which storefront you are on. Their EU site states orders ship from their UK warehouse, with DHL tracked delivery in 2 to 5 days; their US site states same-day dispatch from a warehouse in Ohio. The currency you are quoted tells you which one you are on.
Will I pay import charges ordering from a non-EU brand?
It depends on whether the brand prepays them, and since Brexit the UK counts as outside the EU. Cernucci states there are no customs or import fees for UK, EU, Australia, Norway or Switzerland buyers; Craftd's EU shipping page states it is not responsible for them. If a brand does not say, assume it is not prepaid.
Is 316L stainless steel the same across these brands?
316L is a defined alloy specification, so the steel itself is comparable. What differs is which pieces use it, since some brands also use sterling silver or brass as a base.
What is the difference between gold plated and gold vermeil?
Vermeil is plating over sterling silver with a minimum thickness. Gold plating over stainless steel is a different build: no silver underneath, so nothing under the plating can tarnish.
Which brand is best for iced-out or tennis chains?
Of the four here, Cernucci has by far the deepest range of tennis, iced Cuban and moissanite pieces. We do not make them, so if that is the look you want they are the better fit.
Do any of these brands say their jewellery is safe in the shower?
Craftd describes its chains as water and sweat-proof, Steel & Barnett calls its steel range waterproof and tarnish-free, and our pieces are waterproof. Cernucci's FAQ does not address water resistance.
What happens if I have to return something to the UK?
You post it back across a customs border yourself, with the export paperwork that goes with it. Craftd allows 14 days from delivery, provides no prepaid label, and lists a Northampton return address on its British storefront, so the cost is yours.
What chain length should I order?
50 cm sits at the base of the throat, 55 cm at the collarbone and suits a pendant, 60 cm drops below a t-shirt collar. Between two sizes, size up.
If staying inside the EU is the deciding factor, open the bestsellers collection and pick your length in cm. If the size is wrong we will exchange it — the parcel stays inside the EU, so there is no customs paperwork on either leg.