Linked X Kelsie. Photo: Alma Films
Lakeville permanent jewelry welders share insight on the trend.
If you’re new to permanent jewelry, it isn’t as final as it sounds. A chain is made into a bracelet, necklace or ring and welded together, eliminating the clasp. The process is painless and quick, only taking a few minutes.
We turned to two Lakeville women who started their own permanent jewelry businesses, to provide insight on the growing trend.
Sweet Sparrow Permanent Jewelry
Dawn Sauber admits when she first heard about permanent jewelry, she pictured the worst, especially when the request to get a piece came from her teenage daughter and nine of her friends. “We were in New York City, and they asked if they could get permanent jewelry to remember the trip,” Sauber says, adding her initial response was, “Absolutely not.”
The group quickly addressed Sauber’s misconception, ultimately visiting Catbird, one of the first shops to introduce permanent jewelry in 2017.
The experience stuck in Sauber’s mind, and, last fall, she decided to turn the trend into a business, Sweet Sparrow. “It gives me something to keep me busy, and I love it,” she says. “It makes me feel really pretty.”
Sauber enjoys making others feel that way, too. Each piece is different, along with the reasons behind it. “People get them as groups or to commemorate something or someone,” says Sauber, who travels to parties and events based on request. “I love hearing the stories behind each piece.”
Sauber sells sterling silver, 14-karat gold and gold fill pieces. “I see a lot of people mixing metals and textures,” she says, adding heart chains are her most popular chain. “It makes you feel pretty. We could all use a little bit more of that.”
Sweet Sparrow Permanent Jewelry
Linked X Kelsie
Kelsie Freitag used family and friends for the trial-and-error process, finally able to seal confidence in her technique after a friend, who is a welder, gave her a few tips. “It’s been smooth sailing ever since,” she says of her business, Linked X Kelsie, which launched in September 2022.
Freitag says permanent jewelry offers a lot of benefits to those who wear it. It elevates any outfit and offers a boost in confidence, she says.
One of the top trends Freitag notices is layering of different pieces. “It’s addicting,” she says. “Once you get one piece, you’ll want more.” With spring break on the horizon, Freitag notes anklets are a must-have for upcoming vacations.
Freitag says most people tend to keep the jewelry for about a year before replacing it or adding to it. “It really depends on preferences,” she says. “Once the jewelry is on, it’s so lightweight, you forget it’s there.”
Sweet Sparrow Permanent Jewelry
Instagram: @sweetsparrowpj_mn
Linked X Kelsie
Instagram: @linkedxkelsie
