Permanent Jewelry Welders Comparison Chart: Which Welders Are Best

Paulene Everett
Permanent Jewelry Product Manager

I am frequently asked by permanent jewelry artists how Sunstone and Orion permanent jewelry welders compare to other welders. Perhaps the bulk of the confusion is due to a wide price range, feature sets, and capabilities. After a great deal of research, my team and I were able to assemble a permanent jewelry welders comparison chart.

Chart Summary

To help PJ artists better understand the difference, the chart is divided into three categories of welders: Budget Welders, Beginner Welders, and Professional Welders. Budget welders—especially on the low end—fall into the "you get what you pay for" category. That said, I must say the Sunstone Zapp™ Permanent Jewelry Welder™ delivers more than what the price may suggest due to it's pedigree of reliability.

Beginner Welders provide an expanded feature set at a lower price. The Zapp Plus® Permanent Jewelry Welder™ represents a great value. The Zapp Plus is priced lower than its competitors yet provides a much more flexible platform. You can extend the stylus cord, add your preferred optics, or pair the welder with a stylus in a fun color.

The Orion mPulse® Permanent Jewelry Welder™ is the gold standard among welders. Simply put, no other welder comes close to offering the features and the technology found inside. The Orion mPulse comes standard with True-Fire Technology™ that makes welding easier with better results.

Perhaps the most important features to compare among all welders are the following:

• Stylus Cord Length. If you do anklets you know a longer cord makes light work.
  
  
• Extendable Stylus Cord. Closely related to the above, being able to add more length can solve a lot of problems.
  
  
• Optic Options. One size does not fit all. Optics (or the lack of optics) that work for one PJ artist may not work for you. Some PJ artists have eagle eyes and can weld without magnification. Others need the magnification. If you stick with a Zapp or Orion permanent jewelry welder you'll have those options.
  
  
• Safety Certifications. Safety is a HUGE topic but, unfortunately, overlooked too often. Here's why: With just one unfortunate incident, wherein a customer is injured by an unsafe welder, the permanent jewelry industry can be significantly damaged and demand will tank. Do yourself a favor, do a favor for all PJ artists, and make sure the welder you choose is certified. CE and NRTL certification for the ENTIRE welder is what you should look for.
  
  
• ISO Certification. You can trust a company with ISO certification to be constantly monitoring quality. ISO certification requires effort to get and requires regular compliance checks.
  
  
• Manufacture Information. The welder is the heart of your permanent jewelry business. You'll do well to make sure you choose a welder built by a company with many years of expertise in welding.

	BUDGET WELDERS		BEGINNER WELDERS			PROFESSIONAL WELDER
	Unbranded	Zapp™	Helix™	Everarc®	Zapp Plus®	Orion mPulse®
Base Price	$495 USD	$995 USD	$1,499 USD	$1,499 USD	$1,299 USD	$2,700 USD
Power Range	est. 5-60 Joules	3-10 Joules	1-30 Joules	0.5-16 Joules*	1-30 Joules	1-30 Joules
Energy Control	Membrane Buttons Using Percentage Based Increments	Energy Dial In Single Joule Increments	Membrane Buttons In Single Joule Increments	Membrane Buttons In Half Joule Increments	Energy Dial In Single Joule Increments	Digital Touchscreen In Half Joule Increments Up to 15 Joulres
Stylus Type	7.5” Standard Stylus	7.5” Standard Stylus	6.875” Stylus	6.5” Stylus	6” Advanced Orion Stylus	6” Advanced Orion Stylus
Stylus Cord Length	42”	42”	45”	63”	72”	72”
Electrode Type	Tungsten	Orion Premium Tungsten	Tungsten	Tungsten	Orion Premium Tungsten	Orion Premium Tungsten
Argon Ready	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Optic Options	• Stylus Holder	• None • Stylus Holder • Basic ADL • Upgraded Clear ADL • PJ Scope­™ • 5x Microscope Arm	• Stylus Holder • ADL	• Stylus Holder • Stylus-Mounted ADL	• Stylus Holder • Basic ADL • Upgraded Clear ADL • PJ Scope­™ • 5x Microscope Arm	• Basic ADL • Upgraded Clear ADL • PJ Scope­™ • 5x Microscope Arm
True-Fire Technology™	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Upgradeable Software	No	No	No	No	No	Yes
Extendable Stylus Cord	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Stylus Color Options	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Safety Certifications	Suspect	CE, NRTL (Pending)	CE (Power Supply Only)	CE (Power Supply Only)	CE, NRTL (Pending)	CE, NRTL (ETL, CSA)
Warranty	Varies	3 Years	3 Years	3 Years	3 Years	3 Years
Extended Service Plans	No	Yes “Forever” Warranty and VIP Service with Sunstone Circle Plan	No	No	Yes “Forever” Warranty and VIP Service with Sunstone Circle Plan	Yes “Forever” Warranty and VIP Service with Sunstone Circle Plan
Introduction Date	Uncertain	August 2023	October 2023	April 2024	November 2023	Introduced September 2016 Redesigned June 2024
ISO Certification		ISO 9001:2015			ISO 9001:2015	ISO 9001:2015
Manufacturer Info	Various	Sunstone® Welders Designing and Building Welders for Nearly 20 Years!	Pepetools® No Previous Welder Design nor Welding Manufacturing Experience	Everlinx No Previous Welder Design nor Manufacturing Experience	Sunstone® Welders Designing and Building Welders for Nearly 20 Years!	Sunstone® Welders Designing and Building Welders for Nearly 20 Years!
Links		Learn More About the Zapp