AMHERST — While every parent’s relationship with their child is different, it’s probably fair to say that many often seek out experiences that will imprint long-lasting memories.

For some mothers and daughters, that could mean a day of rock climbing or catching a movie or show, while others might prefer time at the spa or to find their center with yoga.

In Amherst, several mother-daughter duos are making a statement with bracelets — a permanent one — with the help of Julie Nolan Jewelry.

The eternal accessory is a trend made popular in 2017 by New York jewelry store Catbird. The fad is essentially a piece of jewelry — necklaces, bracelets, rings and anklets — that’s fused seamlessly together with an arc welder instead of with a clasp.

“It’s a bracelet without the fuss of a clasp. It’s a perfectly custom tailored bracelet to your wrist offered in either 14 karat gold or sterling silver,” said Amherst proprietor Julie Nolan. “What I’ve seen is a lot of parents come in to visit their child who has just gone away to college — the bracelet becomes a really sweet bonding experience.”

Patrons need to buy the jewelry and Nolan fits them for free at her 40 Main St. shop, which opened last month. On the low end, sterling silver braclets or anklets are under $50 and the most delicate, yet durable, solid gold bracelet is about $85.

Though she has been making jewelry since 2009, the Amherst shop is a first for Nolan, who previously worked as a makeup artist in film and television. During her tenure, she assisted notable makeup artists Pat McGrath at fashion shows in New York and Paris as well as Dick Page at New York’s Fashion Week.

While living and working in New York City, Nolan, a native of San Jose, California, decided to make jewelry after taking a ninth-month comprehensive course at Studio Jewelers Ltd., a licensed jewelry trade school located in midtown Manhattan.

The course covered fundamental jewelry techniques, decorative processes, wax modeling and casting as well as molds, and stone setting.

Aligning the stars

Just after she finished the course, Nolan hit the ground running with Julie Nolan Jewelry. Through encouragement from a classmate and her now-husband, she sold her jewelry wholesale.

“I didn’t know (at the time) if I wanted to make jewelry full time, but I sort of went with their encouragement,” she said.

At that point, the only collection she had created were zodiac constellation pieces that were modeled after a turn-of-the-century Swiss calendar.

The first place she took her pieces to was Catbird, which was a small Brooklyn boutique at the time. The company picked up her collection, and two months later, Anthropologie, a lifestyle retailer of clothing, shoes, accessories, beauty and home decor based in Philadelphia, picked up her entire collection. The collection, she says, did rather well selling online and in stores in the U.S. and Europe.

The success propelled her into making jewelry full-time.

“I feel like just the stars are aligned and it all worked out this way. I just decided to take a leap of faith and try something different,” she said.

Nolan said that after selling wholesale for years she began looking for a different business model for her business and opted to open a brick-and-mortar retail spot. She runs the store by herself.

Maintaining her craft

Since her initial launch into the jewelry-making world, Nolan has continued to sharpen her skills.

With other jewelry makers on social media showcasing their work, artists like Nolan are able learn how to do whatever it is they’re admiring for themselves.

She’s taken a course at GRS Tools & Training Center in Emporia, Kansas, as well as the New Approach School for Jewelers in Arrington, Tennessee.

One name that was repeatedly mentioned within her industry is that of Alexandre Sidorov, a master diamond setter.

“Everybody talks about Alexandre. I wanted to study with him, but I was also so terrified that I wouldn’t pass his test,” she recalls.

Ultimately, Nolan went on to study under Sidorov and graduate from the Alexandre School for Optical Diamond Setting in Antwerp, Belgium.

The diploma from the course is visible from her stone-setting bench in her Amherst shop. And while that piece of paper is admittedly not as important to clients, Nolan says that it’s definitely a peacock feather for her to showcase as Sidorov’s reputation for quality and intimidation is world renowned. One lesson that he taught her that she carries on daily is to practice cutting.

“Every day, for one hour, I practice cutting. Not making anything, just practicing cutting,” she said.

These days, Nolan’s handmade jewelry uses fine and mixed metals, blending traditional pavé techniques, wax carving, diamond setting and gold-smithing with what she describes as a modern sensibility for design and composition.

The jewelry at Nolan’s store is high quality and priced in an affordable range for the area and the amount of work she’s put into each piece.

In addition to her jewelry collections, Nolan leads a ring-making workshop. The three-hour service offers individuals or couples the opportunity to make future one-of-a-kind heirlooms for $300 per person, plus the cost of the material. To learn more about ring-making workshops, call 413-270-6221.

Julie Nolan Jewelry is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.