There are so many options available today for taking the ashes of a loved one and using them to do something special and personal. Scattering the ashes, keeping them in an urn, or returning them to the earth as part of a tree pod burial are well-known ways of honoring a loved one’s memory. There are also more unusual and innovative solutions such as making the ashes into part of a coral reef or creating cremation stones. But another option I learned about recently is to use some of the ashes to create a beautiful piece of jewelry.
Jewelry that contains ashes
The first option I found was jewelry that actually contains some of the ashes of the deceased person. Typically, only about a small teaspoon of the ashes is used. This is carefully secured in an item of jewelry of your own choosing — such as a ring or pendant.
One company that offers this service is Love in a Jewel. Although based in New Zealand, they ship their jewelry worldwide. There are many beautiful designs, all the work of master jeweler Joachim van Oostrum. It’s also possible for the handwriting of the deceased person to be scanned and then sealed into the jewelry Joachim creates, which is another lovely way of keeping part of what made that person unique close to you.
Turning ashes into diamonds
Going one step further, British company Heart in Diamond and US company Eterneva are two of only a few companies in the world that have the ability to actually turn ashes into diamonds. The resulting stones are known as cremation diamonds. (It is also possible to create diamonds from hair, and these are called memory diamonds.)
These gemstones are made through a scientific process that takes place in a laboratory. No toxins or chemicals are used, making the process environmentally friendly. Instead, about 2/3 of a cup of ashes are used, and the carbon in the ashes is placed under enormous pressure to mimic the process that happens when diamonds are formed naturally in the earth.
These companies are able to help people around the world preserve the memory of their loved one in a stunning piece of unique jewelry.
DIY kits for cremation jewelry
Another option is to make a piece of jewelry yourself, and there are several DIY kits available. One company that offers these is Keepsaker Supplies, with their kits containing everything you need to make a beautiful item of jewelry.
Conclusion
If you want to keep the memory of a loved one alive, I can think of no better way than to have some of their ashes made into a piece of jewelry that you can wear every day, and that will remind you of them every time you look at it. Whether having some of their ashes carefully secured in a pendant or ring, or actually using the ashes to create a diamond that can then be made into jewelry of your own design, there is an option available to suit almost any budget.