Doing PR with QR

These scannable codes are gracing high-end accessories that serve as blingy business cards.

The ubiquitous QR code is not generally associated with luxury — except when it’s engraved on a 14-karat gold business card.

Jewelry brand Misahara launched its Gold Card (pictured) in October 2022 as an eco-friendly and classy alternative to traditional business cards. The fully customizable card combines wow factor and function, featuring an engraved, computer-generated QR code that contains the owner’s contact information or any other data they choose. The content can be edited as needed, and the person who scans it can save the information to a phone. The reverse side of the card can feature logos, symbols, or whatever the client desires.

“Love of nature and the environment” was the primary motivator for Misahara founder and designer Lepa Galeb-Roskopp in creating this product. “I wanted to stop wasting so much paper and find a better way to network,” she says. “Going green with bling does right by the planet and creates a luxurious first impression. And it’s profoundly personal.”

Measuring 2 by 2 inches, the Gold Card is available without diamonds for $5,000, or with 25 1-millimeter diamonds for $6,000. Clients can add more diamonds at an additional cost.

Misahara isn’t the only jeweler offering QR accessories. Designer Elena Kriegner, whose specialty is fine jewelry, introduced the more affordable SigNIFIband bracelet in spring 2022. This product features customizable charms she’s dubbed NIFIs. One of the options is the sterling silver Make It Yours charm, which can be “laser-engraved with a unique, software-generated QR code,” says Kriegner. She saw the SigNIFIband as an opportunity to expand her eponymous brand’s customer base.

“People like to create their own designs,” she explains, adding that the Make It Yours NIFI “can replace a business card” or link to a person’s social media page or blog. It has multiple applications for corporations or charities as well.

“The QR sterling silver NIFI is another sellable point for millennials, who consider giving and keeping business cards redundant,” remarks Alice Sundbom, who carries the line at her Atelier d’Emotion boutique in New York.

The unisex band comes in mesh, high-grade silicon, or leather. Depending on the material, prices for the SigNIFIband and charm begin around $145, including a one-time setup fee.

This article is from the January-February 2023 issue of Rapaport Magazine. View other articles here.

Image: Misahara