Friendship bracelets have come a long way since childhood. Instead of the summer camp classics, the newest trend of the last few years is the forever bracelet, a delicate and glam version that shares the same sentiment of connection.
Forever bracelet bars are popping up across the country, with jewelers offering customers the opportunity to choose from a variety of chain styles and add-on charms to create their own special statement. Instead of using a clasp, the chain is welded onto the wearer. Hence the “forever” part, although of course they’re not exactly permanent.
For a couple of months, my friends Linda and Ellen talked about getting the bracelets together. Ellen learned about forever bracelets from posts on Instagram, where popular shops like Catbird in NYC have been on top of the trend for the last few years. Still, a quick trip to New York isn’t very feasible, even in non-COVID times.
Some weeks later, Ellen found Elaine B Jewelry in Ferndale, which appears to be the only jeweler in the state so far that is offering the forever bracelet experience. They also offer anklets! We made plans for a Saturday afternoon to get bracelets, lunch, and of course a stop by Detroit Cookie Co. for treats.
The process
Elaine B Jewelry, located at 22961 Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, is open Tuesday through Friday, 11:00am-6:00pm, and Saturday, 12:00pm-4:00pm. The forever bracelets are done on a walk-in basis for groups of 1-3 people, but can be done for larger groups by calling ahead.
We made plans to arrive right when they opened on Saturday to give ourselves time to make design choices and get a lay of the land. The shop was recently remodeled inside and is light and airy, with earthy elements like succulents and other plants all around the display areas.
There are a variety of chain styles and sizes for the forever bracelets, from sterling silver ($40+) and gold fill ($45+) to 14k gold ($98+). It was great having the opportunity to hold the different styles up to our wrists in person, because I ended up being surprised at the styles I liked vs. the ones that didn’t suit me as well.
In addition to the chain, there are several options for charms, jewels, and other baubles that can be added as a link or dangling from the chain.
After making our decisions, we each took turns at the welder table, where the chains were custom measured to fit our wrists, charms were added, and finally, the links were fused together with an electric pulse. The process only took a few minutes from start to finish, and was completely painless.
We each chose a gold fill chain with different charms. Linda chose a small pearl, Ellen chose a small crystal, and I chose a small gold tag with my initial stamped on it.
My bracelet feels super light and delicate on my wrist. I also love that is it something I share with two special friends. If it ever gets damaged or needs to be removed, I can easily have it reattached at Elaine B (the shop says they may need to charge a small fee to do this).
After bracelets, we enjoyed a yummy taco lunch at Imperial across the street, wandered around the Rust Belt Market, and snagged delicious cookie treats at Detroit Cookie Co.
I love the idea of sharing this experience with someone special, whether it’s a partner, friend, or family member. I could definitely see myself going back to the shop for another bracelet or even an anklet, especially to commemorate a celebration or big moment.
Be sure to check out the wonderful Elaine B Jewelry shop for their forever bracelets, as well as their gorgeous jewelry.