Two best friends received a rude awakening after they tried to pay for the permanent bracelets they just had soldered on their wrists.
Permanent jewelry is an emerging trend in the online fashion world with influencers showcasing their forever bracelets. These delicate chains of gold have no clasp and are soldered on to the wrist. The only way to remove them is by cutting them off.
The current trend was first popularized by jewelry brands like Catbird in New York, which, according to The Zoe Report, offered “in-person zapping.” Customers could walk in and get a versatile, long-lasting bracelet in no time. The minimalist pieces quickly became a mainstay for fashionable women in the city.
The bracelets are often a symbol of a personal milestone or a special relationship. That’s what Haley (@haleyjubak) and her bestie had in mind. But they had sticker shock after seeing what the bracelets would cost. Unfortunately at that point, it was too late to turn back.
From matching bracelets to matching regret
Haley explained in the text overlay, “POV me and my best friend crashing out after realizing how much our permanent bracelets cost after they were already on our wrists…..”
The young friends filmed themselves in the car moments after they got their matching bracelets.
“Good thing these things are [expletive] permanent, they’re never coming off,” jokes her friend. He then clarified that the matching jewelry cost the besties a total of $808.
“Could you imagine if she added those charms on there,” he adds in disbelief.
The friend also says that he would have been happier getting a cheaper version.
“I don’t care if it turns my wrist green,” he exclaims.
Viewers are also stunned at the price
Haley’s video went viral and garnered 1.8 million views. Like the two friends, viewers were in shock at the price of the two bracelets. Many suggested that they had been taken for a ride with their “real gold” jewelry.
“My permanent bracelet was $60. $800 is a straight up scam,” shared one viewer.
“Hey so my Tiffany necklace is less than that,” another offered for comparison.
“My card would decline an it would become the unpermanent bracelet faster then it was put on,” a third joked about the exorbitant price.
Several people were also left wondering why neither the customer nor the salesperson mentioned anything about the price before soldering the jewelry on.
“Did she not give you a quote before hand,” one person asked about the salesperson.
“WHY WOULD THEY NOT TELL U THE PRICE BEFORE PUTTING IT ON,” another needed to know.
Several people who had gotten permanent jewelry themselves lamented that the overpriced jewelry would also probably snap off in a week.
However, according to Haley’s caption, the video is a year old, and the bracelets have at least lasted that long. “At least they are still on a year later,” she wrote.
Did Haley and her friend get scammed?
Haley and her friend claimed that the bracelets were worth $800 because they were made of real gold. However, even if the jewelry was 24k gold, it’s likely they overpaid for their friendship bracelets.
A quick search shows that similar bracelets cost between $40 and $200, depending on the thickness of the chain. Most permanent jewelry is made from 14k gold, putting the material cost well under $300 a bracelet.
The Daily Dot reached out to Haley via TikTok direct message for further information.
@haleyjubak atleast they are still on a year later 😔😔 #permanentbracelet ♬ original sound – Haley
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