If you’ve seen this gold Italian horn necklace around the neck of a man you love, I’d probably like him, too.
I grew up in an Italian household. I’m 100% Italian on both sides, and my 23 & Me ancestry report is 98% southern Italian. Now that’s Italian. (Lol if you get that joke.)
This is my son wearing the Italian cornicello necklace in the 14K gold fill I sell here at minusOne jewelry.
Here he’s wearing a 20″ length necklace chain with 2.5mm links.
Shop this Gold Italian Horn Necklace for Men and Women
How to wear an Italian horn necklace
I wear an Italian horn as one of many layering necklaces. I have a larger horn pendant and a smaller horn pendant, I have thinner and thicker necklaces, and longer and shorter chains.
I sub out the necklaces depending on my collar style, and the earrings I want to wear.
I don’t ever wear two Italian horns at once, because that’s like a double negative, and the power to ward off malocchio will be inverted, kind of like crossing streams.
Can an Italian horn necklace be worn in silver?
Yes, an Italian horn necklace can be worn in silver. Horn necklaces are made in silver, so why waste them?
Sometimes yellow gold doesn’t work with your outfit, and vanity is no reason to go outside without protection.
Is a gold horn necklace good luck?
The gold horn necklace is good luck because It wards off the evil eye, aka malocchio. (Think maloiks.) So, the Italian cornicello is designed to bring good fortune, indirectly.
Why do Italians wear gold horns?
Italians wear gold horns, or cornicello, to ward off the evil eye, or for protection against bad luck in general.
It’s also a symbol of virility, or fertility. The word is tied to cornucopia, the horn of abundance.
It’s a sexy way to show your roots and to feel lucky. Luck and sex. What could go wrong?
Can a non Italian wear a horn?
Anyone can wear a gold Italian horn necklace, but the horn symbol comes from Napoli (Naples, Italy), so many men and women who wear the cornicello are signaling their Italian heritage.
I think of the horn’s power as coming from my ancestral home, from my grandmothers and great-uncles, and the shouts and curses from the Napoli streets carried on the wind all the way to my home in upstate New York.
But if you can call these or other Italian spirits to you without Italian blood in your veins, more power to you. You’ve probably got some Nablidon in there somewhere.
Other names for the gold Italian horn
The Italian horn charm found on this traditional necklace is also called a cornicello, or cornetto, which is Italian for “little horn”.
Corno portafortuna is Italian for “horn that brings luck”.
In Napoli, it’s called curniciello.
About the minusOne jewelry Italian horn necklace
The Italian gold horn necklace at minusOne jewelry uses the perfect luxury 14/20K gold fill (GF) necklace, comparable in quality and style to David Yurman, but without the added cost of the brand name.
- Suitable for both men and women, long or short, it’s perfect alone or with a pendant.
- Horn pendant is vermeil (14K gold over sterling silver)
- Links are 1.7mm or 2.5mm long.
- Standard pendant is a little longer than 1″ for 1.7mm link chains, and a little bigger than that for the 2.5mm so the balance of chain to charm feels right.
- Several standard length necklaces are available: 16″, 18″, and 20″.
- A 14K GF gold fill lobster clasp closes each chain.
What size necklace for a man?
Gift for him? I recommend a 20″ chain or longer, unless this is a young man or a very lean one.
For a chain that will fall naturally around his neck, add 2″-2.5″ to his shirt collar size.
See the FAQ for where different necklace chain lengths usually fall on a woman’s body.
14K gold filled Italian horn necklace vs. solid gold
Gold filled jewelry is a beautiful, affordable alternative to solid gold, and can be worn by people with sensitive skin.
This Italian horn necklace would be several thousand dollars if bought in solid gold. Gold is almost $2,000 an ounce, and this necklace weighs 2-5 ounces, depending in the length and link size.
Gold filled chains look more like solid gold, because gold filled jewelry contains 100 times more gold than gold-plated pieces. Gold filled jewelry is also closed to solid gold because it won’t darken like brass or sterling silver.
Gold-filled jewelry behaves more like solid gold because it’s tarnish resistant.
And it’s durable. The gold in gold filled jewelry won’t wear off like with gold-plated chains.
How to care for a minusOne jewelry Italian horn necklace
For care and safe-keeping of gold filled jewelry, consider removing your chain before extensive exercise.
Chemicals like hair spray, perfume, and sweat can react with the exposed interior of the chain links or clasp in the long-term. Chains can be cleaned if needed with mild soap and water and a soft, non-abrasive cloth.
Avoid chemical cleaners unless designed for gold filled jewelry.
Shop this Gold Italian Horn Necklace for Men and Women
See more Boho style jewelry for sale at minusOne.
Or read about different Boho styles on the minusOne blog.
