Season three “Love Is Blind” contestant Bartise Bowden is calling cap on the “permanent jewelry” he got with his ex-fiance, Nancy Rodriquez.
The former couple were seen getting 14-karat gold bracelets permanently welded onto their wrists at Dallas-based jewelry store Mod + Jo, just five days before their wedding, as a symbolic commitment to each other, Insider reports. “This is as permanent as it gets, huh?” Bowden can be heard asking his then-bride-to-be as he got the bracelet welded on.
“And hopefully that’s what marriage is. I’m not going into the marriage hoping it’s not permanent, so this is a big step for us.”
However, when the world witnessed Bowden leave Rodriguez at the altar, fans also saw how easy it was to remove the bracelets. “I had a friend rip mine off not too long after [my] wedding day. It requires some force,” Bowden said. “I think in our wedding episode, you can see Nancy ripping hers off.”
Rodriguez told Bowden, “It means nothing to me now,” referring to their bracelets during their final goodbyes.
But, some jewelry enthusiasts still think getting permanent jewelry is a nice trend. Travel and lifestyle reporter Jordan Parker Erb had a bracelet created at Catbird in New York City with her mother, and, having it on for more than a year now, she says it’s worth it. “I still consider my permanent bracelet both a sweet memory and a fabulous accessory, and I’m itching to go back for more,” Erb said. For $144, the reporter says the process can be a little nerve-racking, but the experience is painless. “You’ll see a little flash and hear a crackle, which is the welding tool ‘zapping’ the chain together,” she remembers.
Since the show, Bowden hasn’t had issues moving on. The reality show star debuted his new relationship with fellow Texas resident Cait Vanderberry in early July 2023. “He’s so happy,” a Bowden source said, according to People.
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