After a remarkable loved one passes away, it can be difficult to choose a memorial that captures their unique personality and reflects the relationship that you shared. There is no wrong option when it comes to celebrating your incredible loved one, but it can be helpful to research all of the many memorial options before making your ultimate decision.
Cremation jewelry is a thoughtful and heartfelt way to keep your deceased loved one close. This portable memorial can act as a physical connection between you and your loved one that you can carry with you throughout your life. Today, we’re spotlighting cremation rings and how they can help you along your healing journey.
What Is Cremation Jewelry?
Cremation jewelry involves the use of cremated remains to craft rings, necklaces, bracelets, or other beautiful jewelry pieces. Cremation jewelry either includes a hollowed-out portion meant for holding ashes or a diamond made from the carbon in cremated remains.
Cremation jewelry’s beauty is in its rich significance and sentimental weight. Cremation rings can be crafted with breathtaking designs and one-of-a-kind artistry that reflect your loved one’s singular tastes and personality.
Cremation rings are daily reminders of a passed loved one or beloved pet. Typically worn on the ring finger, cremation rings are always in the wearer's line of sight, serving as a token of their love and life.
What Is the History of Cremation Jewelry?
Memorial jewelry is a classic way to celebrate a deceased loved one that has been used for decades. The idea first originated in the Victorian era, when it was called mourning jewelry. Queen Victoria mourned her husband's death by wearing a locket around her neck that contained her husband’s hair. From there, mourning jewelry became a well-known model of grieving.
Although we know grief is not a linear process and looks different for each of us, the Victorian era used formal stages of grief that dictated how mourners should dress: deep, full, and half-mourning. Mourning jewelry accompanied these mourning trends of the 1800s, in which loved ones displayed their stage of grief through their outward appearance.
Beginning in the 1840s, a new jewelry trend emerged. As cameras became more advanced, families would dress their lost loved ones in fine clothing and have their pictures taken to preserve their memory. This photo was then inserted into a locket or ring and worn by family members.
Fast-forward to present-day, and rings still commemorate the remarkable loved ones we have lost. However, technology has advanced beyond the Victorian era’s mourning jewelry to create cremation rings made from small amounts of our loved one’s ashes.
How Are Cremation Rings Made?
While there are a few types of cremation rings to choose from, one of the most heartfelt portable memorials is a cremation diamond.
Memorial or cremation diamonds are lab-made diamonds that are entirely real, forged under a replication of the conditions found in the Earth’s mantle where diamonds are naturally formed. At Eterneva, we begin by collecting anywhere from 2 tablespoons to ½ a cup of ashes to create your loved one’s unique diamond.
Diamonds are made entirely from pure carbon. As carbon is exposed to high levels of heat and pressure, carbon molecules bond together to create a diamond. Since cremated remains contain carbon, a diamond can be formed once the carbon is separated from other elements in the ashes. This occurs through a process called carbon purification.
Carbon purification isolates the carbon in ashes by placing the ashes in a graphite crucible. Here, it is treated so that the result is pure carbon powder.
This powder is exposed to intense heat and pressure in a lab that simulates conditions under the Earth. The result is a raw diamond made entirely of the carbon from your loved one’s ashes.
The diamond is then cut and engraved with your loved one’s name or a customized inscription. Once the diamond is finished, it can then be set in a ring or sent to a jeweler. Each form of customization from cut to color is an opportunity to share pieces of your loved one’s unique story and represent their singular impact on your life.
What Are the Types of Cremation Rings?
While we have mainly focused on cremation rings made with memorial diamonds, there are also other types of cremation rings.
Some cremation rings contain a glass bead made from ashes instead of a diamond. This process is a little different from the diamond-making process: For cremation rings containing glass beads, glass is melted at temperatures of over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. High temperatures turn the once gray ashes into a bright white color. Once it turns to liquid, ashes, and glass are mixed, creating different designs and colors.
The glass and ash mixture is then formed to the desired shape and then cooled. From here, the glass can be set to make a cremation ring.
Another type of cremation ring is one that contains a small compartment for storing ashes inside. The compartment is sealed with a threaded screw to keep the ashes secure. Unlike a traditional urn, this is a way to keep your loved one’s memory near you at all times. Because they use such small amounts of ash, multiple family members and friends can carry this reminder of their remarkable loved one wherever they roam.
How Do You Choose Your Cremation Ring?
With so many thoughtful ways to honor your loved one’s impact and legacy, it can be difficult to choose the cremation ring that best reflects their singular personality. Factors such as cost, creation time, and personal style can all influence which type of cremation ring is the best decision for you and your loved ones.
Cost
Cremation rings can range in price from $50 to thousands of dollars, depending on the style you choose. Often, the price of your ring will reflect the quality and longevity of the piece.
While rings with compartments that store small amounts of ash will be the least expensive option, these rings may be less secure than glass, crystals, or diamonds made from cremated ash. Rings with memorial diamonds may be slightly more expensive, but their durability allows them to become a family heirloom you can pass down throughout generations, sharing your remarkable loved one’s story.
Within each type of cremation ring comes personalization options that will affect the cost as well, such as the setting you choose or the length of your engraving.
Time
Another factor to consider when choosing a cremation ring is the time frame that you have available.
Cremation rings with ash-storing compartments can be bought in store because they are not custom-made, while custom-made pieces may take weeks or months. However, as your custom piece is created, videos and photos of the ring-making process can help guide you along your healing journey.
As with all memorials, there is no one correct decision when choosing which cremation ring is right for you. Regardless of the cost or time, there is a cremation ring option available that will help you feel eternally connected to your remarkable loved one.
Why Cremation Rings?
Cremation jewelry is a unique way to honor your lost loved ones and keep their memory near. When lost loved ones feel out of reach, cremation jewelry is a way to bring their love close once again.
Cremation jewelry offers us a sense of closure and a gateway to healing. The beauty of a cremation ring represents the vibrancy of life and the one-of-a-kind nature of your loved one. Turning ashes into a stunning and meaningful ring offers peace of mind that your loved one’s life will always be remembered.
Cremation jewelry offers the comfort of carrying your loved one with you through all of life’s changes, allowing your remarkable loved one to be present during milestones such as weddings, graduations, birthdays, and anniversaries.
There are many friends and family members who may hold a cremation ring near, such as widowers, caregivers, or close friends. These sentimental pieces are a wonderful gift for someone who is grieving to help guide them through their healing journey and keep their loved one’s impact and legacy alive.
Conclusion
Cremation rings are a type of memorial jewelry that preserves the memory of a lost loved one. Worn to keep a loved one near, cremation rings offer comfort and security during the unexpected twists and turns of loss.
Cremation rings come in many different forms and can be made with memorial diamonds made from ashes, glass beads mixed with ashes, or small compartments to store ashes. No matter which cremation ring you choose, this portable memorial can help you celebrate your remarkable loved one for decades to come.
Sources:
The Sparkling Rise Of The Lab Grown Diamond | BBC Future
Finding and Making Diamonds | Ask An Earth and Space Scientist
