How to Start a Permanent Jewelry Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

September 27, 2026

To start a permanent jewelry business, you need four things: training, a welder and starter supplies, the basic business paperwork, and a plan to get in front of your first customers. Most new artists start small, with events, markets, and private parties on weekends, and grow from there.

This guide walks through how to start a permanent jewelry business step by step, from learning to weld to booking your first paid event. It's the same path LINKED students follow, and each step links to a deeper guide if you want more detail.

Your permanent jewelry startup checklist

Understand how the business makes money
Get trained
Choose your welder and starter kit
Set up the business side (registration, license, insurance, waiver)
Pick your chains and supplies
Set your prices
Build a portable setup
Practice first
Book your first events
Turn first-time clients into repeat clients

Step 1: Understand how the business makes money

Permanent jewelry is a service, not just a product. A client picks a chain, you size it to their wrist, ankle, or neck, and you weld it closed with a tiny jump ring. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and people pay for the experience as much as the bracelet. Friends, sisters, moms and daughters, and couples usually come in together, so one booking often turns into several pieces.

Your income comes from a few places:

The piece itself: bracelets, anklets, necklaces, rings, and hand chains.
Add-ons: charms, birthstones, and initials that personalize a piece and raise the ticket.
Where you work: events and markets, private and bridal parties, partner boutiques and salons, or your own studio.

Because chain is bought by the foot and one foot makes roughly two bracelets, the cost of materials per piece is small compared with what clients pay. That's why pricing and getting booked matter so much more than finding the cheapest supplies.

Go deeper: How Much Can You Actually Make Selling Permanent Jewelry? and Can You Start Permanent Jewelry as a Side Hustle?

Step 2: Get trained

Welding looks simple, but a lot is happening in that one spark: matching power and time settings to the metal, closing the jump ring with no gap, grounding the chain, protecting your client's skin and eyes, and sizing so the piece sits right. Guessing at settings is how artists end up with weak welds, burned chain, and pieces that come back broken.

Good training teaches you how to do permanent jewelry and how to run it as a business:

The craft: welding a seamless bond, machine settings and maintenance, metals, tools, safety gear, argon, sizing, and troubleshooting.
The business: pricing and profit, events, marketing, social content, and templates like client waivers.

The LINKED online course is self-paced, about 7 to 8 hours of video across 21 modules, with lifetime access, a certificate of completion, and a student community for questions. Students who want hands-on practice can also train in person at our studio in Winter Garden, near Orlando.

Go deeper: Permanent Jewelry Training vs DIY and How to Choose the Best Permanent Jewelry Training

Step 3: Choose your welder and starter kit

Your welder is the biggest single purchase. Every good permanent jewelry welder is a micro pulse arc welder, and a quality machine will give you a clean weld. The differences come down to comfort, controls, portability, and budget.

A starter kit bundles the welder with everything else you need on day one: chain, jump rings, tools, safety gear, and training. Buying a kit keeps you from piecing together parts that don't match your machine.

LINKED has four starter kits, each with training and the same core supplies, built around a different welder: the LINKED Luxe, the Helix, the Zapp Plus 2.0, and the Orion mPulse 2.0. Kits currently range from $2,997 to $4,997. If you already own a welder, the online course is also sold on its own.

Compare the permanent jewelry starter kits

Go deeper: How to Choose the Best Permanent Jewelry Welder and What Comes in a Permanent Jewelry Starter Kit?

Step 4: Set up the business side

This part isn't glamorous, but it's what makes you a real business and protects you at events. The usual list:

Pick a name. Check that it's available as a business name, a domain, and a social handle.
Get an EIN and register your business with your state (many artists form an LLC).
Check local license requirements. Rules vary by state, county, and city, and some events ask for a sales tax permit. Call your local licensing office before your first paid event.
Talk to a CPA about sales tax and how to track income and expenses.
Get insurance. It's optional in many places, but it's strongly recommended, and many venues ask for proof before they'll book you.
Use a client waiver for every client, every time.
Set up card payments with a mobile card reader so you can take payments anywhere.

Go deeper: Insurance and Waivers in Permanent Jewelry and Naming Your Permanent Jewelry Business

Step 5: Pick your chains and supplies

New artists often overbuy. You don't need every chain on the market. A tight selection is easier for clients to choose from and easier on your budget. Start with a few proven styles in each metal you offer:

14k gold-filled: the best value for most clients and usually your best seller.
925 sterling silver: a classic, affordable option.
14k solid gold: your premium tier for clients who want the longest-lasting piece.

Add a small set of charms and birthstones, the right jump rings for each chain, and restock based on what actually sells. Plan on about 2 feet of chain for every client you expect at an event.

Shop: 14K gold-filled chain · sterling silver chain · 14K solid gold chain · charms. LINKED students get a lifetime 10% discount on supply orders over $50.

Go deeper: Gold-Filled Chains That Clients Love and Chain Organization for Permanent Jewelry

Step 6: Set your prices

Underpricing is the most common mistake new artists make. Low prices make it hard to cover events, restock, and grow, and they tell clients to expect less. Typical price ranges (they vary by market):

Piece	What many artists charge
Sterling silver bracelet	$60 to $75
Gold-filled bracelet	$75 to $100
14k solid gold bracelet	Often priced by the inch, around $175 to $200+
Charms and birthstones	Priced as add-ons per piece

We recommend starting at $80 or more per bracelet so you have room for marketing and restocking.

Anklets and necklaces use more chain, so they're priced higher. Keep your menu simple, show prices clearly, and build in room for add-ons.

Go deeper: Complete Guide to Pricing and Profit and How Pricing Too Low Hurts Your Business

Step 7: Build your permanent jewelry setup

Most permanent jewelry happens on the go, so your setup needs to pack up fast and look good anywhere. A typical event kit:

A 4 to 6 foot table with a tablecloth
A chain display so clients can see and touch options
Good lighting for welding and for photos
Portable power for your welder, since outlets aren't guaranteed
A travel case to keep chain, tools, and jump rings organized
Eye protection or a darkening screen, and leather patches
Your card reader, waivers, and a price sign

Go deeper: Everything You Need for an Event or Party and Portable Power for Permanent Jewelry Artists

Step 8: Practice first

Practice makes permanent. Before your first paid client, weld dozens of jump rings and practice chains until your welds are smooth and consistent every time. Then do pieces for friends and family. It builds your speed and confidence, you get photos for social media, and your first "clients" become your first word-of-mouth marketing.

Step 9: Book your first events

Your first events don't need to be big. Some of the best starting spots are places that already have foot traffic and a customer who fits: boutiques, salons, coffee shops, breweries and wineries, bookstores, farmers markets, and holiday markets. Private parties, bridal showers, and birthday parties are great too, because the whole group is already there to celebrate.

A few tips for booking:

Pitch the venue on what they get: extra traffic and a fun reason for their customers to stay.
Offer a revenue share or a flat fee, whichever the owner prefers.
Post the event ahead of time on your social media and ask the venue to do the same.
Collect contact info from every client so you can invite them back.

Here's what some LINKED students reported from their events, after going through the training:

Kathleen did $1,500 in 2 hours at her first event, at a romance bookstore.
Tammy made $912 at a four-hour farmers market, working by herself.
Danielle set up her LLC, EIN, insurance, and portable power, then did $840 at her first vendor event.

These are individual student results, not typical or guaranteed. Your results depend on your market, pricing, effort, and many other factors. See our Results Disclaimer.

Go deeper: 25 Places to Host Permanent Jewelry Events, How to Book More Permanent Jewelry Events, and How to Build Relationships with Boutiques and Salons

Step 10: Turn first-time clients into repeat clients

The fastest way to grow is to bring past clients back. They come back to add a second bracelet, stack an anklet, add a charm for a new milestone, or bring friends. Keep it easy:

Send clients home with simple aftercare instructions.
Offer a reweld policy so a broken chain becomes a return visit, not a lost client.
Follow up on anniversaries and holidays with new charms and chain drops.

Go deeper: How to Get Repeat Customers and Why Aftercare Is an Overlooked Revenue Stream

Start the right way with LINKED

LINKED Permanent Jewelry Training is a training academy and supply store for permanent jewelry artists, based in Winter Garden, Florida. Since 2022, 4,000+ students have trained with us online and in person. Every starter kit comes with the welder, supplies, and training in one place, so you're not piecing it together on your own.

Not sure where to start? Talk it through with our team. We'll help you pick the right kit and answer your questions about training, financing, and getting your first clients.

How to start a permanent jewelry business: FAQ

How much does it cost to start a permanent jewelry business?

Your biggest cost is a welder, supplies, and training. LINKED's starter kits bundle all three and currently range from $2,997 to $4,997. After that, budget for business registration, insurance, and a basic event setup. Many artists start with a table and display they already own and upgrade as they grow.

Do you need a license to do permanent jewelry?

There isn't one national permanent jewelry license in the US. You'll usually need standard business registration, and some cities, counties, or events require a local business license or sales tax permit. Check with your local licensing office and a CPA before your first paid event.

Do you need to be certified to do permanent jewelry?

Certification isn't legally required in most places, but training matters for safety and quality, and a certificate helps clients and venues trust you. LINKED students receive a certificate of completion.

How long does it take to learn permanent jewelry?

The LINKED online course is about 7 to 8 hours of video, and it's self-paced. How fast you start taking clients depends on how much you practice. Plan to weld plenty of practice pieces first.

Can you do permanent jewelry as a side hustle?

Yes. Many artists work weekend events and private parties around a full-time job or family. The setup is portable, and you choose how many events you take on.

What welder should a beginner buy?

Any quality micro pulse arc welder made for permanent jewelry will give you a clean weld. Beginners usually choose based on budget and how simple they want the controls to be. Compare the four LINKED kits to see the differences side by side.