When you share a special relationship with someone, it’s common to want to honor the relationship with something permanent, like a tattoo or jewelry. It’s a symbol of the relationship’s significance, the powerful emotional connection you share, or a memory made together. It’s something men and women do together, but also something women do with friends or people they’re related to. My own daughter said for years that she couldn’t wait to get a matching tattoo with me that symbolized our mutual love of travel. The deal was we’d do it when she turned 18. However, the day she turned 18, she told me she had a better idea, and to be honest, I loved her suggestion: permanent jewelry.
Hot Trend Alert!
Permanent jewelry is something that is picking up in popularity, thanks to social media like TikTok.
The jewelry is more than a pretty accessory. It’s essentially clasp-less and welded onto each person buying it. Bracelets are the most popular type of permanent jewelry; they typically feature a gold chain and can come with or without additional charms. An anklet is another option, along with a ring, which also would be made with a chain.
They’re super versatile, blending into most wardrobes effortlessly, and you can typically choose from a variety of style options.
There are companies that offer the option, like Catbird in New York City and Atelier VM in Italy, and many who’ve spun off side companies providing the service on the local level, selling off the forever jewelry at parties or in private sessions between the pair and the jeweler. They’re meant to be symbolic, but they can also be bought for their practical purposes. I mean, how often do you misplace a favorite piece after you take it off? This is a way to make sure that never happens again.
How Does it Work?
The process is simple. You arrange a meeting with a jeweler and just pick out the style of chain, or chains in my case, that you like best. They’ll likely have dozens to choose from. When my daughter and I couldn’t agree on the style we liked the most, we both got both, making it a matching pair that we now are reminded of each and every day, multiple times a day. Each time I look down at my wrist, I’m reminded of my special relationship with my girl, and it’s an instant smile. But I digress.
Back to the procedure. So, essentially, you pick the style and whether you want any charms to go with it, and your jeweler will then measure you to make sure it’s the perfect fit. Then they’ll put on their safety goggles, pick up their welding stick, and ask you to look away while they weld the two ends together so the welding doesn’t damage your eyes. That would be the only part that could hurt, so as long as you don’t look or move while they’re welding, it’s safe. It’s over fast, just a few seconds.
Cost, Convenience, and Other Details
The cost varies based on which chain you pick – or how many in my case – and whether you add any charms. I connected with an entrepreneur in my hometown who made our bracelets–a total of four–for a little more than $200. Catbird’s options start around $100 and go up to over $300 for thicker options or those with diamonds embedded. It truly depends on who you hire and what you prefer. Finding someone to do the bracelets for me was easy–I did a quick search on social media for someone local, and my gut is that as this trend grows in popularity, it’ll be easier and easier to find someone capable of doing it for you, too.
Can you wear the bracelets through airport security or in surgery?
Most permanent jewelry is made from 10K to 14K gold and should not set off a metal detector any more than your other jewelry. You never have to worry about it sliding off, either. If you’re having a medical procedure where they ask you to remove it, suggest first just having them tape it down with medical tape. If they insist it needs to go, you can cut it off with scissors and then get it re-welded after your procedure. And there have not been issues reported with pregnancies since even if there’s weight gain, it is less likely your wrist or neck will grow much, so you’ll be good as long as it’s not welded on too tight.
One benefit of doing this instead of a tattoo is that it is much easier to negate if things go south in the relationship. And if it is taken off, it could be reattached very easily if/when the relationship is repaired.
Final Thoughts on Permanent Jewelry
Getting permanent jewelry is a great way to honor a relationship, but if you like mixing things up with your jewelry with big, colorful pieces, this may not work for you. But if you’re like me, the kind of person who has a favorite necklace, bracelet, or daily go-to when it comes to jewelry. That’s me unless I’m going to a special event that requires a very different necklace or earrings. The gold bracelets we picked go with everything, though, and again, it’s nice having this memory of my bond with my daughter every day.
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