Larin Dodgen
VP Engineering
The adage that competition promotes innovation usually proves true. But with the introduction of the Helix some may be left scratching their heads. Whether it provides something new is highly debatable.
What cannot be debated are the facts. My team used the Helix to complete about 500 welds and then took it apart, screw by screw, to better understand it. As an engineer and having been intricately involved in the design of the Zapp, Zapp Plus, Orion PJ, and Orion mPulse, I know my way around permanent jewelry welders. With the Zapp Plus being most similar to the Helix, I did a side-by-side comparison.
Power
The Zapp Plus and the Helix have identical energy ranges of 1 to 30 Joules. Both can weld at the same rate of about one weld per second although the Helix unit we tested tended to require more time to recharge in the higher energy range.
Stylus
The Zapp Plus is equipped with the Orion stylus, an “advanced stylus” design with a history of tens of millions of welds. The Helix is equipped with a stylus that looks identical to the Orion stylus but with no significant performance history. In my deconstruction of the Helix stylus a few component choices immediately jumped out at me as problematic, only because the company’s years of micro welding experience tells me those components present a risk to durability, useability, or both.
Detachable Stylus
A detachable stylus is a plus for pop-ups. The Zapp Plus stylus will detach from the welder, allowing you to add an optional extension, providing as much as nine feet of stylus reach. The extension makes light work of anklets. You can also swap out your black Orion Stylus with a new stylus colors from Sunstone. The Helix stylus does not detach from the welder.
Stylus Length
The Zapp Plus stylus cord measures 72” in length from tip to tip. Pepetools lists stylus length on their website at 45 inches. Stylus cord length becomes a critical issue when doing anklets. In this instance, it appears the Zapp Plus has a huge advantage over the Helix in terms of length, being able to add an optional extension, and being able to choose a different color of stylus.
Power Selection
The Zapp Plus uses a simple knob to select power. The Helix uses two onion-skin buttons, a plus and negative, with the selected energy level displayed using dated LED components. Judging which is better, the knob or the onion-skin buttons, is preferential. However, here are some factual observations:
- When you turn on the Zapp Plus the selected energy is the same as when you turned the welder off. With the Helix the energy level resets to one when powered on.
- You must press the plus button repeatedly to select the desired energy level. For example, if you want to weld with 15 Joules, you must press the plus button 14 times. Can you imagine welding at max power and having to press the button 29 times?
- When repeatedly pushing the plus or negative buttons the whole welder will move away from you. At times I had to hold the welder with one hand and push the plus or negative buttons with the other hand.
Again, the knob versus the onion-skin buttons debate is preferential and there are pros and cons to each.
Quality Appearance
The Zapp Plus is contained within a steel case with branding and control indicators silk screened to the top. (By the way, the pearl color you see on the top of the Zapp and the Zapp Plus were in fact chosen by a group of permanent jewelry artists.) The Helix is contained with a steel case with branding and control indicators placed on the front using a sticker. The use of the sticker on the front panel is an interesting choice. During deconstruction I was worried that removing the sticker to access the components underneath would be difficult. However, the sticker was removed with little effort. I was left to wonder how well the sticker will withstand humidity and extreme temperature variations during shipping. Indeed, when reviewing Helix Google reviews for this comparison, I did find one instance of a customer mentioning this very issue.
Warranty
The Zapp Plus and the Helix offer 3-year warranties. The Zapp Plus is eligible for Sunstone’s VIP customer service plan called the Sunstone Circle. In addition to many other program benefits, the Sunstone Circle offers a “lifetime warranty” for as long as you remain a member. Membership is only $15 per month for the Zapp Plus. When the warranty expires on the Helix, the customer has no other recourse to protect their investment, as of August 2024.
Lifetime Expectancy
The Zapp Plus will continue to weld with satisfactory results long after the warranty expires. I can say that because I’ve been intimately involved in the designs of the the most proven permanent jewelry welders in the world. Everything learned from building and reiterating for nearly a decade was in fact leveraged to build the Zapp and the Zapp Plus. When the Helix was released, the manufacturer claimed the welder would last for at least 10,000 welds and then would require service. (I took a screenshot of that claim on their website and saved it, if you’d like to see it.) That claim puzzled me for two reasons: 1) A welder that only lasts for 10,000 welds is a categorical failure from the get-go; 2) A claim of 10,000 welds—which may or may not be a simple typo on their part—is further evidence of a factual lack of experience and knowledge in building a permanent jewelry welder. The manufacturer has since changed that claim to 1,000,000. I’m not sure how they can back up that claim given the welder has little performance history.
Welding Performance
Judging welding performance is subjective to one’s welding experience with different welders. I've welded with Zapp, Zapp Plus, all Orion models (the gold standard in permanent jewelry welders), PUK, the unbranded welder, and the Helix. I found the Helix welding performance unimpressive.
Manufacturer Experience
Perhaps a comparison of the two product boils down to this one silly—but factual—question:
Would you purchase a welder from a company with months of micro welding experience or from a company with nearly 20 years of micro welding experience?
Factually, the Helix is presented by a company with a long history of manufacturing jewelry tools, none of which include welding technology to any degree. I also wonder how well the Helix team will be able to provide customer assistance with the limited knowledge their customer service team possesses.
I realize I keep coming back to expertise, but it’s important.
It’s Not Just About the Welder
In the end, a factual comparison may do nothing more than create additional confusion. Allow me to pose four suggestions that look beyond the welder:
1. Choose a Welder that Gets YouYour budget, your skill level, and your business acumen all play a part in your decision. It’s not a one-size-fits-all world out there, so don’t partner with a company that offers just one welder.
2. Choose a Partner that has Your Back
Murphy’s Law is unavoidable, and stuff happens in the most inopportune times. You can’t control that. But you can choose a permanent jewelry welder manufacturer that offers a lifeline when you need it. Choose a partner that’s ready to help when stuff happens.
3. Choose a Partner that’s Working to Build the Industry
The Permanent Jewelry Expo (PJX) is the only meeting of its kind with a mission to promote permanent jewelry and raise the tide for everyone. MicroWeld is a more intimate, hands-on meeting and the only jewelry welding conference in the world. Both conferences, organized by Sunstone, provide much-needed education and networking for the industry. Sunstone also created a 17-step permanent jewelry training video series that’s free to everyone. Can you think of any other company so dedicated to building the permanent jewelry industry?
4. Choose a Partner You can Trust
Why do the most respected jewelry suppliers in the world carry Sunstone welders? Suppliers take great care in choosing what products they offer to their customers. Product quality, expertise, knowledge, track record, and service are key in building and maintaining relationships of trust. Your permanent jewelry business will do well when you seek out a company that is interested in your success more than their success.
Picking the right partner is no less important than choosing the right welder. Sunstone is here to help. Call or text us at 385-999-5214 and let us answer your questions.
Sunstone, Orion, and Zapp Plus are registered trademarks and Zapp, Orion PJ, and Orion mPulse are trademarks of Sunstone Engineering LLC. Helix is a trademark or registered trademark of its respective manufacturer.
This article was updated August 1, 2024