Local pop

Apr 28, 2023

Permanent jewelry is having its moment. Interest in it has grown over the past year. It was a trend on TikTok.

Tessa Blakney and Tyler Esselstrom discovered it a few years back. They really saw an upsurge late last year. And, so in November 2022, the women launched Linked: Permanent Jewelry by SNH, a pop-up associated with Blakney's Downtown boutique Silk N Honey.

Permanent jewelry is what it sounds like. Chains for bracelets, anklets, necklaces, and even rings are welded onto the wearer.

Blakney works with Esselstrom at the boutique. She said that permanent jewelry serves both sentimental and practical purposes.

"We attend many events together," she said of Esselstrom. "I really enjoyed the bonding experience behind [permanent jewelry]. It's like the modern-day friendship bracelet. Every time she looks down at her bracelet, she's going to think of me. I'll think of her. It's permanently there. We can't take it away."

The women received a month-long training on using an arc welder. The welder is a pen-sized device that is hooked up to a box. Blakney and Esselstrom learned about the welder's different functions and how to work with silver and gold and various thicknesses of the chains.

The procedure is completely painless. Those who are nervous can get a piece of leather placed between their skin and the chain for added security. The most the customer experiences, the women said, is hearing a pop.

"We do it all: necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and rings. Bracelets are the most popular and anklets would definitely be second. Rings are for people who don't necessarily want to commit to something forever because they will roll off of your finger," Esselstrom said.

The process is pretty straightforward. Customers sit in a chair, and Esselstrom or Blakney will take them through their options, and there are a lot.

They offer some 25-plus different chain options as well as various charms such as birthstones, initials, or smiley faces. They'll ask the customer what they like — do they prefer dainty or chunkier chains — and they'll go through the price ranges. The customer is then given a pair of sunglasses and then — pop! — it's done. It should take no more than five minutes.

The women stress that the chains are 14-karat gold or solid gold and sterling silver. They will not tarnish and they are hypoallergenic. TSA shouldn't give you problems about them at the airport, though the chains may have to be cut off for surgery or an MRI. If so, Esselstrom and Blakney said to hold on to the chain, and they will reweld it for a small fee. If it falls off within seven days, they will fix it at no cost.

The women chose the pop-up model to keep things fresh. They like being at different venues and meeting new people on most weekends. They will do bridal and baby showers. They also offer personal appointments through the boutique.

"We see a little bit of everybody. That's another thing that's great about it. There's no age range, there's no gender," Esselstrom said. "We get anywhere from mother and daughter and two best friends to boyfriend and girlfriend, spouses. We do have people book appointments and come alone, just because they want it for themselves."

One customer made an impression on them.

"We did one girl who got a necklace. Most of our chains have names, but that particular chain didn't have a name. She was getting it to symbolize her baby who had died. It was a completely whole emotional experience. She broke down crying. Tyler broke down," Blakney recalled.

The women named the chain after the baby.

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