Permanent jewelry might be the most fun ten minutes you can have at a mall. You pick a chain, someone wraps it around your wrist, a tiny welder sparks, and you walk out wearing a bracelet with no clasp and, in theory, no end date.
We get the appeal. We'd still like a word about the word "permanent" before you hold out your wrist.
Why everyone's doing it
It's sweet, first of all. Best friends get matching chains welded on, and so do sisters, mothers and daughters, whole bridal parties. There's no clasp to fight with at 7 a.m. The founder of a permanent jewelry company told Fox News it gives you "the thrill of a tattoo or piercing without the pain," which is honestly a great pitch.
The internet agreed. The tag had more than 3 billion views on TikTok by 2021, and a welded bracelet starts at about $100.
Consider this a loving roast of the commitment. The people wearing them are lovely.
Your body has other plans
Life comes with appointments, and some of them don't allow metal.
Before an MRI, radiology groups tell patients to remove all metal belongings, because metal can heat up in the scanner. One hospital's advice for permanent jewelry is to tell the MRI tech ahead of time so they can decide whether it's safe. Before surgery, hospitals ask for all jewelry to come off, partly because of burn risk from surgical equipment and partly because tissue can swell afterward.
Then there's work. The FDA's model Food Code says food employees may not wear jewelry on their arms and hands while preparing food, with an exception for a plain ring like a wedding band. A welded bracelet is not a wedding band.
The airport, to be fair, is mostly fine. TSA says jewelry generally doesn't need to come off at the checkpoint, so you can keep that one off your list of worries.
"Permanent" is a generous word
Here's the secret of the welded bracelet: the whole closure is one small ring of metal, fused shut. Which means, as AP put it, technically it's not permanent, since you can cut the chain off. Studios will tell you a pair of scissors does the job.
Thin chains also snag, and Washingtonian notes they may eventually fall off from wear and tear, though most shops will re-weld them for a fee.
It may be the only jewelry sold on the promise that it never comes off, with removal tips included.
A welded chain is chosen for being inoffensive to every outfit you'll ever own.
The real issue is your closet
Even if nothing ever cuts it, a welded chain has a quieter problem: it has to go with everything, every day, for as long as it lasts.
That's why they tend to be the plainest chains in the case. They have to work with the black dress and the gym shorts, with your silver earrings and your gold ones, with the version of you who wears bold color next spring. A tattoo, at least, is chosen for exactly one design.
Your style is allowed to change on a Wednesday. Your jewelry should be able to keep up.
The commitment-free version
Everything good about permanent jewelry, minus the scissors.
Something that stays put, no piercing needed. The Gold Star Ear Cuff, $39, is a pavé band with a little bezel star swinging below. It closes around your ear on a tiny hinge. No needle, no welder.
The chain look, on your finger. Token, $85, is a gold link band with round crystals set between open oval links. It reads like a fine chain, and it comes off in two seconds when the MRI tech asks.
A bracelet with a clasp you can actually work. The Silver Star Bezel Tennis Bracelet, $99, runs stars and round crystals all the way around, and it closes with a clasp you can do up yourself.
“I love wearing this bracelet. I love stars. I love glitter. All in one! Bonus for the clasp i can put on by myself!”
And if the whole point was matching with your best friend, match rings instead. Most of ours come in sizes 4 to 11, so the whole group can wear the same one.
Commit to the friendship. Keep the jewelry negotiable.
Shop bracelets you can take off.
Shop the story
Gold Star Ear Cuff
Token Ring
Silver Star Bezel Tennis BraceletQuestions about permanent jewelry
Is permanent jewelry worth it?
It can be, if you love the ritual and want one simple chain on all the time. If you like changing your look, need regular scans or work in a kitchen, jewelry you can take off is usually the better buy.
Can you get an MRI with permanent jewelry?
Metal should come off before an MRI. Tell the MRI team about permanent jewelry ahead of time so they can decide whether it's safe. If it needs to come off, the chain can be cut and often re-welded later.
How do you remove permanent jewelry?
Cut the chain near the small welded ring with sharp scissors or wire cutters. Many studios will re-weld it afterward, usually for a fee.
Does permanent jewelry set off airport security?
TSA says jewelry generally doesn't need to be removed at the checkpoint. If the scanner alarms, you may get a pat-down.
What's a good alternative to permanent jewelry?
A bracelet with an easy clasp, an ear cuff that needs no piercing, or matching rings with friends. You get the everyday wear without the welder.
Wink Ring
Gold Double Hoop Dangle Earrings
Gold Dangle Ear Cuff
Aquamarine Star Tennis Necklace