If you have a few pieces in your jewelry collection that you never take off—not even in the shower or in bed—then perhaps permanent jewelry is right for you. Permanent jewelry owes its name to the fact that it’s welded on you, and you can’t take it on and off by clasping it or unclasping it.

Explore different jewelry designs featuring lab-grown diamonds at VRAI.

What Is Permanent Jewelry?

Permanent jewelry is that type of jewelry that lacks a clasp for easy removal. The two ends are welded or zapped together, so that you will never take it off. Not having clasps makes permanent jewelry less fussy. The more “definitive” aspect of permanent jewelry also makes it ideal to mark milestones in our lives, such as the birth of a child, a move, or a fresh start. Bracelets, anklets, and necklaces are the most common types of permanent jewelry.

How Does Permanent Jewelry Work?

Permanent Jewelry requires in-person appointments to stores that offer the tools to weld the piece. In the case of bracelets and anklets, the store specialist will take your measurement to find the perfect length that will allow the piece to move gracefully without sliding off.

While the process itself only takes a few minutes, most places that offer permanent jewelry strongly recommend you make an appointment, as facilities and space are both limited. Walk-ins can still get an appointment, but there’s likely to be a wait.

History of Permanent Jewelry

The first notable piece of permanent jewelry is the Cartier Love bracelet, which was designed by Aldo Cipullo in 1969. The inspiration was the idea of chastity, especially the shackles of a chastity belt, and the haunting memory of a love affair gone wrong.

Only a special screwdriver that is supplied with every Love exemplar can open it. Interestingly, the screwdriver also exists as a necklace. The idea is that one person in the relationship wears the locked bracelet, while the other wears the key around their neck. The Love line has been expanded into cufflinks, rings, earrings, necklaces, and watches.

In the 2010s, contemporary jewelers started offering a line of permanent jewelry, but most pieces are made of gold chains and are daintier than the bulkier design of the Love bracelet. Given that you can’t take them off on a whim, their understated appearance allows you to pair it with most of your jewelry collection.

What Are the Most Common Types of Permanent Jewelry?

Bracelets, necklaces, and anklets are the most common types of permanent jewelry. Bracelets are by far the most popular type of permanent jewelry. Typically, they consist of a gold chain, and may or may not have charms added onto it. Permanent necklaces come in the same styles as the bracelets.

How Long Does Permanent Jewelry Last?

Provided you take good care of it, your piece of permanent jewelry will last as long as you want it to last. The most delicate gold chains might break. As for the metal itself, permanent jewelry is usually made of gold, which is more resistant to the element than silver and also does not tarnish or corrode.

Is Permanent Jewelry Safe?

Permanent jewelry is absolutely safe save for the case of skin allergies. Around 18% of the North American population is allergic to nickel, which is often alloyed with gold. The higher the gold percentage in solid gold, the lower its likelihood to contain nickel.

Another risk with permanent jewelry is related to swelling: heat, pregnancy, and other factors can cause swelling in the limbs, which, in turn, can make bracelets and anklets too tight.

How Do I Remove My Permanent Jewelry?

If you want to remove your piece, you can cut it off with a very sharp pair of scissors. However, in the case of the daintier pieces that have been so on trend in the past few years, they might break due to wear and tear before you tire of them. If that’s the case, each provider has a different policy: some can re-solder the same piece, others will make you buy an entirely new one.

Is Permanent Jewelry Right for Me?

The most common styles of permanent jewelry consist of gold chains in various degrees of shimmer, width, and textures. Save for some charms you can add on, they’re not particularly ornate and are on the daintier side. If this is your style, permanent jewelry is right for you.

If you travel or have to get frequent MRIs, then you might want to opt for a traditional clasp, as you would have to cut your permanent jewelry off before undergoing MRIs and other exams. Finally, if your style is more opulent, sculptural and/or maximalist, then make sure that permanent jewelry comes in designs that work with your aesthetic.

Permanent Jewelry With VRAI Created Diamonds

VRAI currently offers a selection of jewelry that is permanent in spirit, rather than in structure. Jewelry such as promise rings, eternity rings, engagement rings, and wedding bands symbolize an eternal bond.

A VRAI created diamond is a lab-grown diamond created in a foundry that is Carbon Neutral certified as zero-emissions then cut and polished by master craftspeople. All VRAI created diamonds were created with no mining, no human toll, no emissions. VRAI created diamonds are physically, chemically, and optically identical to mined diamonds. This reduces the cost so you get more carats for less.