Big Square Swirl Sterling Silver Atarah, 3 to 7 Rows

Sterling silver, built link by link: the big square version of the swirl atarah joins broad square plates, each one worked with a swirl pattern that catches light differently as the tallis moves. This is not embroidery and it is not fabric — it is a metal neckband that lies across the collar with real weight to it, and it is the kind of atarah a man buys once and keeps on the same tallis for decades.

The size choice here is row count rather than inches. Three rows gives a narrow, restrained band; seven rows builds a wide, heavy collar that sits substantially on the shoulders. Four, five and six fill in between. More rows means more silver, more width and more weight, so the decision comes down to how much presence you want and how heavy a tallis you are putting it on — a light tallis under a seven-row silver band will hang oddly, while a full heavy wool one carries it well.

This is a chosson piece, or the atarah a family orders for a father or a father-in-law when a plain woven band no longer feels like enough.

• Material: Sterling Silver, Silver
• Rows: 3 Rows, 4 Rows, 5 Rows, 6 Rows, 7 Rows

Sold by Judaica Square, Lakewood NJ. Free shipping on orders over $75. Returns within 15 days.