When Kim Francese looks at the shiny bracelets around her wrist, she immediately thinks of her daughter Abby. They have matching accessories on their arms every day — keeping them connected when they are apart.
This jewelry is permanent, just like their mother- daughter bond.
Jewelers measure a customer’s wrist and use a pulse-arc welder to attach chain links together, as opposed to using a clasp.
“It was my daughter’s idea,” said Kim Francese of Hempfield, whose daughter is a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. “She said, ‘Mom, let’s get permanent bracelets.’ I wasn’t sure at first what that meant, but when I learned what they were, I was honored that she wanted to do this with me.”
So they did it — twice.
The mother and daughter visited Beeghly and Co. Jewelers in Greensburg. The experience is a perfect idea for Mother’s Day, said Amy Beeghly, creative director and co-owner of Beeghly and Co. with her husband, Brian Beeghly, their daughter Alison Beeghly, and Amy Beeghly’s brother Mark Sechler.
Encircle permanent jewelry
Beeghly and Co. Jewelers calls the collection Encircle Permanent Jewelry. They use sterling silver or 14K and 18K gold chains. Each bracelet features a claspless chain. It can be customized to add a charm or engraving.
“You are not going to lose this bracelet,” said Allen Betts, a goldsmith at Beeghly and Co. Jewelers, as he created one for a colleague.
Amy Beeghly said they consult with the customer because there are so many possibilities.
“Pretty much if you can dream it, we can make it,” Beeghly said. “This permanent jewelry becomes a piece of you.”
John Henne, president and fourth-generation owner of Henne Jewelers in Shadyside, concurred.
“Permanent jewelry, sometimes called forever jewelry, is a meaningful way to celebrate and honor the relationships in your life,” Henne said. “With permanent jewelry, there are no clasps — no need to remove each day.”
Zapped collection
Permanent jewelry’s origin is credited to a jewelry store in Brooklyn, N.Y., called Catbird, said Amanda Gizzi, director of Jewelers of America, a nonprofit organization. “They started their ‘Zapped’ collection in 2017. The trend really exploded across the country in early 2022,” she said.
Most of the permanent jewelry is wrist bracelets, but it can be done with necklaces and ankle bracelets. Prices average $125. It takes less than half an hour and is usually done by appointment.
If it is of high quality it can last a long time, Henne said. It is safe to wear through airport security and in the shower and swimming pool.
It is called permanent but it can be removed. Jewelers use a jump ring, which is a tiny loop that keeps the links connected. That ring can be cut if the customer doesn’t want to wear the piece anymore, if they play sports where jewelry isn’t permitted or if they have to have an MRI.
“I call it semi-permanent,” said Nellie Phillips, of Sewickley, who owns Permanently Pretty Jewelry in Shaler. She opened her shop about two and a half years ago.
She first saw this being done in Denver and hadn’t seen it in Pittsburgh.
Phillips said many of her customers find her through word of mouth, social media and her website.
She hosts private parties and does pop-ups, including one from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 12 at the PA Market in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.
“This jewelry is a great gift for Mother’s Day, birthdays, weddings, baby showers and graduations,” Phillips said.
Symbol of love
Jenny Lin, a goldsmith at Henne Jewelers in Shadyside, was demonstrating the process Tuesday. She said clients there can choose from 14K gold or 14K white gold. Lin measures a person’s wrist with a chain to ensure the fit is correct. She said some customers have chosen to link two bracelets.
“I think it is really elegant, and you feel like you are accessorized,” Lin said.
This is a way to symbolize being linked by love in a most fashionable way, Henne said. The trend is one of the ways to evolve as a business owner, Henne said, by providing the latest styles and technology.
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Henne Jewelers has been doing permanent bracelets for 18 months but hadn’t been promoting it until recently, after a major renovation of the store in December and a 22 % increase in foot traffic, Henne said.
Henne created a private area for things like permanent jewelry.
“It is a great Mother’s Day gift, and I have seen some mothers and daughters come in and get it done together,” said Henne, who first saw permanent jewelry in a trade publication and at a jewelry show.
It is not just for women.
Everyone can find something they like, Henne said.
Former Steelers punter Pressley Harvin III, who purchased an engagement ring at Henne, also came back with his fiancée, Emily, to get permanent bracelets, Henne said.
The benefit to permanent jewelry is that you don’t have a clasp to put on and take off, Gizzi said.
“They become part of your everyday look and are easy to layer with more bracelets or watches,” Gizzi said. “Keep in mind that while they are called ‘permanent bracelets,’ they can break. However, in most cases, they can be re-soldered on pretty easily.”
Gift for mom
Permanent jewelry is a fun and interactive thing for mothers to do with their older children, Gizzi said.
“They walk away with a wonderful experience and a piece of jewelry that reminds them of their loved ones,” Gizzi said. “It is a win-win and makes a wonderful gift for Mother’s Day.”
“It’s a pretty cool experience and it’s practical,” Francese said. “I am a mom of three and always rushing to get out the door so it is nice to not have to stop and put on my bracelets. This is a special connection. I would have never done this on my own. I am glad we did this. Now I might ask my daughter to go with me to get a third one.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region’s diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people and a weekly column about things to do in Pittsburgh. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of “A Daughter’s Promise.” She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.