What is Permanent Jewelry?

What is Permanent Jewelry? 
By: Sawyer Wood

We’re not telling you anything new, but jewelry is fantastic. It’s a great way to express yourself and your personality, play around with fashion and trends, elevate even the most everyday, basic outfits, and simply have fun! Because of this, most people love to switch around their accessories and get as playful with it as possible, exploring different looks and vibes on the regular.

However, others prefer to approach accessorizing in the completely opposite manner. Some folks are particularly connected to a specific piece of jewelry or see what they wear as something sentimental and thus, primarily wear one or two accessories everyday. Count yourself as part of this tribe or are a jewelry maker that wants to cater to those who are? You might be interested in one of fashion’s most compelling and current trends: permanent jewelry.

What is Permanent Jewelry?

For those who haven’t already been introduced to the concept, permanent jewelry can sound kind of intimidating or “weird.” It’s not quite so scary or extreme in reality, though. Permanent jewelry is basically just jewelry that you can’t take off － it requires the help of a professional.

Why? Because it doesn’t have a traditional clasp or closure system. Instead, this type of jewelry is actually custom fit to the person getting it and welded shut once it’s on the body, making it a “permanent” fixture until they decide (if they ever do!) to get it removed. Typically this is achieved through the use of lasers to ensure the process is quick, safe, painless, and able to result in a truly seamless piece of jewelry that’ll allow the wearer greater long-term comfort.

Although some jewelers will use more old-school or alternative methods depending on the materials or construction used, desired cost, or specialization, so it’s always a good idea for those with a specific preference to do a little research before booking an appointment.

It’s a very cool process and one that isn’t necessarily exclusive to one type of jewelry. Sure, bracelets are probably the most common, on account of the fact they’re usually a little more affordable and visible for the wearer and are easier for jewelers to work with but there are individuals that do offer permanent necklaces or even anklets.

Why People Get Permanent Jewelry

Alright, those are the basic “whats” of permanent jewelry. What about the “why,” though? Why do people like it and want to engage with this rising trend? Well, it would be disingenuous to not admit that the trendiness of it does play a major role for some folks － people are naturally drawn to what’s popular and aesthetic, after all. Yet it’s not the only reason.

Indeed, one of the most common reasons people might want to get a piece of permanent jewelry is for it to serve as a symbol of a relationship. Sort of like parents and their grown children getting the same tattoo or BFFs wearing complementary friendship bracelets, many will go to a jeweler and get matching permanent jewelry to have a visual representation of their connection. That’s not only a unifying experience in the moment, it is in the long run, too, a reminder to each person that they’re loved and cared for by the other.

And keep in mind, all sorts of bonds can find meaning in permanent jewelry. It doesn’t have to only be reserved for romantic partners or best friends. This accessorizing choice is a wonderful way to honor any close relationship you have, whether that with your parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, whoever!

Okay, so what about for those who go and get permanent jewelry on their own? Truth be told, there’s a long list of potential motivators for this. Some will do this to mark a meaningful time or event in their life. They might get a permanent bracelet or a necklace as a tangible way to finalize the ending of a relationship or a job, or to celebrate new beginnings like an exciting move or a long-awaited pregnancy. Meanwhile, others will do it purely for looks-purposes or because they like that it’s something different and unique.

How to Go About It

No matter one’s reasons for getting permanent jewelry, the actual process remains largely the same and can be broken down into a few straightforward steps, the first of which is basic research. As we’ve already explained, permanent jewelry isn’t something that just anybody can do.

It’s a specialty service, meaning anybody interested will have to actively search shops that offer it, ensure they have the style, color, and material of jewelry that the individual will want, verify that the available times work for everyone involved, etc. It can be a lot. Research is then absolutely integral here.

Let’s say someone has jumped through all the hoops and managed to track down who and where works for them. What now? Thankfully, the rest of the process is actually far easier than the lead up. All that’s really left is to:

1. Book an appointment. How one will need to go about this really depends on the jewelry shop or pop-up. More established ones might have a website that allows folks to directly set up appointments but many others will require an email or a call. When in doubt, reach out via their contact page or social media for specific directions.

2. Show up and pick a chain. Though it’s usually good manners to just make it to appointments on time, we’d actually advise anybody getting permanent jewelry to show up a little early － especially for those who are the indecisive type. This will give plenty of time to pick out desired jewelry without cutting into the jeweler’s work time or making one feel like they have to rush and make a choice.

3. Let the jeweler do their thing. Once the appointment is going and jewelry is chosen, all that’s left is to sit back and let the jeweler do what they do best. They’ll take measurements, adjust the chain as needed, then get to welding. All-in-all, the process should take no more than about 15 minutes and will be completely painless thanks to a provided cover separating the skin, jewelry, and laser tool. A quick zap and everyone’s done!

The Essentials for Permanent Jewelry

At a brief glance, the whole idea of permanent jewelry sounds very unusual and “out there,” for lack of a better term. Although, beyond the welding, it really isn’t that far of a departure from regular jewelry. Permanent jewelry supplies doesn’t even really differ all that much. Don’t believe us? Most of the essentials are super basic, including things like:

• Chain
• Wire cutters
• Jump rings
• A ruler
• Tape measure
• Pliers (needle-nose, round-nose, etc)

Amongst these items, the main thing you need to watch out for is that you have the right chain. Everything else is more flexible, but permanent jewelry supplies like chain has to be a bit more specific to stand up to the laser process as well as the everyday wear and tear that naturally comes with jewelry being worn 24/7.

For this reason, you want to make sure the materials can stand up to sweat, harsh conditions, or general daily living the same way that sterling silver, gold, or even gold-filled, will. Tarnishing and breakage are far more likely, so always have a variety of gold chains on hand if you’re getting into the business of permanent jewelry.

Other than the permanent jewelry supplies listed above, there is something else that’ll go a long way to helping you get started with this new, trendy way of accessorizing: charms! Though we do adore a simple flat cable or delicate figaro chain on its own, that can get boring for folks. They’re wearing this jewelry every single day－ for every occasion, to every function; casual, formal, or otherwise. As such, they might want or need something with more personality, and charms are an ideal way to accomplish that.

Of course, finding the right charms to offer them or incorporate into permanent jewelry styles can be difficult. There’s a ton to choose from, but we’ve got you covered regardless of theme, size, or shape. Seriously, with designs ranging from beachy to celestial to religious, letters, hearts, buddhas and more, you’ll find whatever it is you’re looking for among our product list. We even have custom engraving and custom casting services continuously available, allowing you to get all your permanent jewelry supplies and necessities in one stop, no shopping around needed.

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Permanent Jewelry Charms & Chain