Permanent welded bracelets: a fleeting trend or here to stay?

UPDATE: August 2023 – Attention dainty jewelry lovers and permanent bracelet aficionados… Catbird has officially opened up in Los Angeles. Click here to read about the new Catbird Los Angeles store, what to expect if you want to get a permanent welded bracelet, and whether or not you should book an appointment before you go. I also included a few pictures on how to decide where on your wrist to place your permanent bracelet and one big decision you need to make if you’re going to get a charm added to your bracelet. Read here!

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Permanent welded bracelets have recently started trending on TikTok and are growing in popularity. Rightfully so, these bracelets are timeless, classic, and zero maintenance – which if you know me, you know those prerequisites apply to nearly everything in my life. 

 

I’ve gotten a few permanent welded bracelets from Catbird (in addition to other Catbird jewelry) and have been “zapped” a few times. Read on for information on permanent welded bracelets, my review of the Catbird Forever bracelet, my experience getting zapped, and more. 

What is a permanent welded bracelet? 

Catbird’s Forever bracelet is my favorite kind of permanent bracelet. But what is a permanent bracelet anyway? A permanent bracelet is basically a bracelet that has no clasps. Instead, the links of the bracelet are connected through a tiny jump ring and are welded together via a jeweler (the openings of the jump ring are essentially melted together and the jump ring becomes smooth and seamless).

 

“Welded” can sound intimidating or even painful but there is no pain whatsoever. Forever bracelets have increased in popularity in the last 1.5 years, with people seeking out places that offer permanent welded jewelry increasing by nearly 300% in the last year on Google search and taking TikTok by storm. 

 

Where can I get a forever bracelet? 

Permanent bracelets are trending but it seems like only select jewelers offer them. This will vary based on the area you live in. My recommendation is to find a reputable jeweler who does this with high quality jewelry, has the right equipment and will stand by their work/jewelry in case it breaks. 

 

I have a variety of permanent bracelets from Catbird and 1 from Zoe Chicco. They all look pretty similar and I’ve had overall good experiences with both brands but tend to lean towards Catbird in general.

 

I can’t vouch for other jewelers so shop around and make sure the jeweler who is offering permanent bracelets is reputable, high quality, and offers some kind of warranty or repair guarantee. 

 

What is the point of a permanent bracelet? 

There are a few reasons why someone would want to get a permanent bracelet including: 

1. Easy and effortless everyday sparkle: Since permanent bracelets are welded on, they never come off (unless of course you cut them or forcefully remove them). Most of the forever bracelets I’ve seen are very thin and dainty, so they can add a little sparkle to your overall outfit without any effort. And because they never come off, you don’t have to go through the trouble of taking them off and forgetting to put them back on… or even worse, forgetting them somewhere. 
2. Commemorating a memory: Much like buying jewelry to celebrate a special occasion, milestone or memory, getting a permanent or forever bracelet can commemorate a particular moment in time. I see this also like getting tattoos – for people with tattoos, some tattoos are special and represent something. They can be a snapshot in time and I think there’s something philosophically beautiful about that. 
3. Commemorating a friendship or relationship: People celebrate relationships in all sorts of ways. Getting a forever bracelet with a friend or loved one can be a way to share a fun memory together or experience something new together. Permanent bracelets have also recently been referred to as “permanent friendship bracelets” and I kind of love that. 

Personally, I fall in the category of #1. I love accessorizing and found myself buying dainty jewelry and then forgetting to put pieces back on after taking them off. Catbird is one of my favorite jewelry brands in general and having the bracelets welded was an easy way for me to accessorize without having to think about it. 

How long do permanent or welded bracelets last? 

This will likely vary depending on the quality and where you get your bracelet. I’ve had my permanent Catbird Forever bracelets for more than a few years and I haven’t had any issues with the chains themselves, though I did have a small diamond fall off the chain (more on that below). I haven’t had any issues with the other permanent bracelet I got from Zoe Chicco either. 

 

How much do Forever or permanent bracelets cost? 

This will also depend on where you get yours. Catbird offers a bunch of different chains that range in price depending on the materials and design. Here’s a sample: 

• 1976 bracelet, $144 
• Hundred Summers, $108
• Sweet Nothing, $98
• Tinsel, $128
• Diamond Fizz Petite, $198
• Diamond Pinprick, $334

All bracelets come in yellow old and select bracelets are available in white and rose gold. See more on the Catbird website. 

 

How do you make a forever bracelet?

Since a permanent welded bracelet is basically a bracelet without a clasp, you could technically make your own if you had the tools and materials. Depending on the chain you use, you could use a small jump ring and pliers to attach the chain together and pinch it closed but it wouldn’t be welded together for a smooth, seamless finish.

 

Note: I’m not a professional jeweler by any means so I can’t speak for the longevity of making your own using a pure gold chain vs a cheap gold filled chain but I would imagine that if you attempt to do this with a cheaper, non water resistant chain, it wouldn’t do very well after various showers/bathing/etc.

 

Getting Zapped at Catbird 

Getting “zapped” is a term specific to getting a Catbird Forever bracelet. It’s not a term that other jewelers use. Catbird has branded this term as a way to promote their permanent bracelets and whenever they do pop-up events. More specifically, it refers to the act of welding the bracelet together. During the process, there is a little spark and very quick ‘zap’ sound that you may hear. It doesn’t hurt and it doesn’t touch your skin in any way. 

My experience with Catbird Forever bracelets and “getting zapped:” 

Catbird is based in NY and they have main jewelry shops as well as a ‘welding annex’ where they take specific appointments for permanent bracelets. Appointments can be made 7 days a week and they also say they take walk-ins.

 

I’ve been to the Catbird jewelry shop in NY and they are the most darling little shops. The sales associates are so sweet and go out of their way to be helpful without being annoying.

 

Get this: I’ve never actually been zapped in their NY shop or welding annex. I’ve only been been zapped at their Los Angeles pop-up experiences. Yes, that’s right! Every once in a while, Catbird will come to Los Angeles and hold a pop-up jewelry shop at a store in Los Angeles. I’m not sure how they pick the stores to collab with but they’ve held pop ups at  Reformation in West Hollywood (2018) and most recently a pop-up experience at The Platform in West Los Angeles (2022).

 

The pop-ups have the iconic Catbird branding and a selection of their jewelry available for purchase. And both experiences were positive and seamless. 

 

Here are some pictures of the most recent pop up at The Platform (June 2022). 

 

 

Catbird Forever Bracelet pop up experience in Los Angeles

In every Catbird pop-up experience I’ve been to, there has always been some sort of line or wait. This might be a testament to the strong branding or jewelry style but one thing is for sure – Catbird definitely has a west coast fanbase despite exclusively being in NY. In the past, there wasn’t a way to make appointments. You simply had to show up and wait in line. A few years back, I was able to show up right when they opened (about 10am) but there were about 15 girls ahead of me so I waited approximately 45 mins back then. 

 

More recently at their pop up at the Platform, you were able to make appointments. My schedule can be erratic so I couldn’t commit to an appointment time. I simply showed up when I was in the area and prayed for the best – which then I immediately regretted and tried to make an appointment while standing in line. Luckily, the line moved pretty quickly but I’d recommend you make an appointment if you are short on time. 

Choosing the perfect permanent bracelet to have welded or zapped!

Once I got to the front of the store, there were sample bracelets to choose from. I noticed that they added the ability to get a tiny star charm added to a forever bracelet. Previously, they only offered the tiny Pinprick diamond charm. Note that Catbird has many other tiny charms but they won’t attach charms to any of the permanent bracelets. 

 

This has always been the case with Catbird and since they have streamlined the process of getting zapped, that’s likely why the line moves pretty quickly. Normally you would choose the bracelet that you want zapped, they’d give you a number, you’d wait in line and once your number is called, sit down, get measured then zapped. Easy and quick! I’d say the welding process itself takes less than 5 minutes. It’s the waiting in line, choosing a bracelet and potentially browsing around that could take up a bulk of your time. 

 

Keep in mind that the actual “zapping” happens with a laser that melts the open parts of the jump ring together. The laser never touches your skin and all you hear is a very quick crackle sound and you’ll see a quick spark of light.

 

Replacing an existing or damaged permanent bracelet

However in this recent visit, I actually wasn’t getting a new bracelet, I had an existing non-permanent Catbird bracelet that I wanted to have welded on, and another Catbird bracelet that broke (due to my own carelessness) that I wanted to be repaired. They happily offered to exchange both bracelets for new bracelets and zap them both. Dream come true for me!

 

The process was still the same from there: wait for my number to be called, re-explain my situation to the person who would be zapping me, get measured, get zapped and voila. This is probably one of the reasons I continue to buy jewelry and get zapped at Catbird. The customer service is always A+, their sales associates are so sweet and they make the experience easy. 

Quality and longevity of a welded bracelet

All of my permanent bracelets have stayed on my wrists without any issue. I’ve also gone through airport security many times without any issues. I have heard people say that jewelry needs to be removed for any major surgeries, I can’t confirm that. The good news is that Catbird says that if you have to remove your permanent jewelry for any reason, simply snip the bracelet (preferably at the small jump ring/link that holds the bracelet together) and you can get re-zapped at a later date. 

Honest review and downsides of having permanent welded bracelets 

I love how effortless the Catbird Forever Bracelets are. I have had mine for a few years now and they spark joy. However there are a couple things consider to permanent bracelets if you are thinking about getting one (or some): 

1. Delicate: These bracelets are extremely thin and dainty. That means they could easily get snagged or ripped off your wrist (ouch!). This is especially true if you have a tiny charm zapped with your bracelet. I had a Pinprick charm and somewhere along the way, it fell off 😭 (“Kim, people are dying…”) This might be due to it rubbing against my Apple watch. #2 below.
2. Placement: Carefully consider which wrist you will be placing the permanent bracelet and how it will sit with any other jewelry or accessories you plan to wear. I got my first permanent bracelet on my left wrist. A few years later, the Apple Watch came out and I also wear that on my left wrist. Unfortunately because of the placement of my watch and the placement of the bracelets, my watch band typically slips down my wrist and covers my permanent bracelets so you can’t see them. When I sweat, they tend to stick to my Apple watch which can be slightly annoying.  
3. Other accessories: Since they are permanent, you can’t remove them without cutting them with scissors. That also means that if I wear any other bracelets, the permanent bracelets could clash. This could be slightly annoying if you were attending an event or formal function and wanted to wear specific accessories. Personally for me, I am a fan of both dainty ‘barely there’ jewelry and extremely bold “in-your-face” kind of jewelry. I find that when I wear bold jewelry, it tends to overshadow the daintiness of the bracelets and I’m ok with that!

Overall Pros and Cons of a permanent welded bracelet: 

Pros and cons of getting a forever/permanent bracelet are probably different for everyone but here are the main things I considered.

Pros: 

• Adds an effortless sparkle to everyday outfits
• You’ll never lose the bracelet (unless you purposefully take it off or it breaks off) 
• Can easily be layered with additional forever/permanent bracelets 
• Delicate enough to blend in with any additional bold or chunky jewelry 

Cons: 

• Limited number of jewelers offer this
• Can potentially clash with other jewelry 
• Very dainty and fragile; at risk of being snagged or torn off 
• Potentially have to snip off for any major surgeries or MRI scans then get it reattached

One pro that could also be taken into consideration but I didn’t officially add above: if you’ve never gotten a permanent bracelet, it can be a fun bonding experience with a friend or loved one. 

 

Overall, I’d highly recommend getting a Catbird Forever Bracelet or a permanent bracelet in general if you are looking for zero maintenance jewelry that adds a little sparkle to your everyday wardrobe. Not only is Catbird jewelry beautiful, their customer service is top notch. I’d also recommend visiting a Catbird pop up if you aren’t able to make it out to NY. They’ve perfected the delightful NY Catbird jewelry shop branding and it can be a really fun experience if you haven’t been. 

Note: This post is not sponsored in any way (I wish!)