Chains - can someone help me understand the maths?

I need to order some chains, decided on trace, but no idea what the numbers mean. Cookson Gold are not very forthcoming with any info either in their product descriptions and I'm really stuck. I always happen to sit down to deal with this in the evening so can't give them a ring and get them to explain, so I thought I'd post on here to see if someone can help me.

Can someone explain to me what 12/18 and 14/16 mean?

I've been told that the first number refers to the gauge of the wire and that the second is the number of links in an inch, but if that's the case it would mean that this chain:

http://www.cooksongold.com/Finished-...prcode-VVT-CFA

is made with 2mm wire - that can't be right can it?

I just want a chain with small links and can't figure out which to get.

Help??!!

Thanks
E

You're right, but the wire gauge is a weird combination of imperial and decimal measurement, so 12/18 means 0.012" diameter wire and there are 18 links per inch. and 14/16 means 0.014" diameter wire and 16 links per inch.

I find the wire diameter measurement very confusing - I could cope with a wire gauge, or a mm measurement, but a decimal fraction of an imperial unit makes no sense at all!

Jeez - thanks for the reply - I thought we were meant to be all decimal in the country now! So I'm none the wiser really as I can't work those kind of figures in my head - looking at a ruler now and it's still no clearer. Why can't CG just say it in plain english in the product description i.e. the chain is made from 1mm wire, the links are 1.5mm wide by 1.5mm long - is that so hard to do - it would make buying chains so much easier. I've spent over a week trying to figure out which chain to get and I'm no closer to my goal. Maybe I should try and give them a ring tomorrow if I get a spare minute.

Even more confusing is Palmermetals have the same chain, but say it's 1.7mm wide and 16 links per inch. :confused:
http://www.palmermetals.co.uk/shop/l...ose-chain.html

i have bought loose chain 25/11 it's really delicate and sweet
x

Back in the early 80's, Curteis used to send out a sample board of their chain range. A little piece of cardboard with about 4" of silver chain samples attached. Made choosing chain very simple but admittedly there wasn't the selection of styles that there is now.