Claire Reid
‘Zapping’ jewellery is a new trend that gives you the ‘thrill of a tattoo’ with ‘none of the pain’. Sounds good, right?
But what is it? ‘Zapping’ is another name for applying permanent jewellery, which may sound a bit daunting, but it’s completely pain-free. Oh and you get a healthy dose of nostalgia because the whole thing is weirdly reminiscent of handing out friendship bracelets in school.
Permanent jewellery refers to the method of welding a piece of jewellery on, meaning it fits snugly and - crucially - doesn’t come off.
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Specialists will use a stylus with a needle at the end, that uses electricity to melt a small ring or clasp together meaning it can’t be opened or taken off.
Sarah Sides, the CEO and founder of Love Weld, has been working in the jewellery industry for a decade and has, in more recent years, joined the growing trend of permanent jewellery.
In an interview with Fox News, she explained that bracelets had always been the lowest selling category within jewellery collections, something she believes is due to the fact that sizing can be an issue.
"Bracelets are like shoes in that you need the right size to fit your wrist," she told the outlet.
So after researching the trend of ‘zapping’ Sarah decided to launch her brand in 2020 with a sweet Galentine’s Day event for her close pals.
Commenting on the launch, she said: “As grown-ups, it was kind of taking us back to that time in middle school where you are making friendship bracelets, and you really feel like you are a part of something special."
Now Sarah’s 30-plus-strong team only work on permanent jewellery and business is booming.
TikTok is currently teeming with videos of people having their own permanent jewellery ‘zapped on’.
And Sarah believes its popularity could be partially due to the fact that it offers a similar experience to having a tattoo or piercing, but with none of the pain - or, lets face it, potential regret.
"It kind of gives you the thrill of a tattoo or piercing without the pain," she said.
"I see a lot of people who see this as a fun, less scary alternative to a piercing or tattoo, but still the same shared experience.”
And if you ever do decide you want rid of your bracelet? You can simply snip the fine gold chain with a pair of scissors.