How Can You Infuse Your Loved One’s Ashes into Jewellery?

Kenny Scott | May 20, 2016 | Cremation Glass Jewellery

Are you looking for a way to celebrate the memory of a loved one and keep them close to you?

In these difficult times, many of my clients turn to memorial jewellery, as it can provide a great comfort and gives them something solid they can touch and hold onto for years to come.

These often stunning pieces of jewellery or art beautifully and expertly encapsulate the ashes of a loved one, and their uniquely formed patterns even sparkle and shine in the light whenever they’re worn or displayed in a window.

You may already have an idea of the type of jewellery you’d like to have made, but are perhaps unsure of exactly how to go about it. In fact, in my experience, a lot of people are new to the idea of cremation glass, which is why I thought I’d offer a bit of guidance with a helpful blog post.

So below, I’m going to highlight some of the best places to look for cremation jewellery, as well as some other key considerations to bear in mind.

Where to begin

Usually, the best place to start when searching for cremation glass jewellery is the internet. Start by searching for things like ‘memorial glass jewellery’ or ‘cremation jewellery’ – you can even get more specific if you know the exact type of glass you want (such as ‘memorial rings‘ or ‘memorial glass sculpture‘).

However, most of my clients don’t know exactly what they’re looking for just yet, so a more general search may allow you to get a better idea of the different type of products out there, and allow you to fully expand your options.

If you’re not entirely comfortable with searching online, or want some more guidance, you could also try speaking to your local crematorium who may be able to give you advice or recommend some local cremation glass contacts in the area who will be happy to help you with this type of service.

Do your homework

Now that you’ve narrowed down the search and established the kind of jewellery or art you’re looking for, I’d always recommend researching a company before you make that all-important purchase. First, check out their website and FAQ to get a better feel for the company and their policies.

However, don’t stop there – call them up and see if you’re able to talk to some directly who will be happy to answer some of the questions you might still have. This will go a long way to setting your mind at ease, so you can feel 100% confident before placing your order.

Just some of the questions you may want to ask include:

Will my loved one’s ashes be secure?
How long will the process take?
Who will be making the jewellery – what is their experience level?
What materials will they use?
Will my jewellery be hallmarked? (if applicable)
Can I choose my own colours?
Which shipping method do you use?
Will I receive a certificate of authentication?

The most important thing is that you feel safe and happy in the knowledge that your loved one’s ashes are going to be treated with the greatest of care, and also that you know How long you’ll be parted from them.

The process involved

When you do speak to your chosen memorial glass company, an optional extra is to ask about the process involved in making their jewellery, and exactly what will be expected of you upon placing your order. For instance, usually you’ll receive an order pack with all the tools you need, but this is not a given.

One lady called me up to place an order a few weeks back, after her father had died following a long bout of ill health. She was unsure of how to go about sending the ashes to me, so followed my standard procedure and took down her contact details and address, explaining everything would be included in her order pack.

It only took a couple of days to arrive, and she was then able to take a teaspoonful of her father’s ashes using the spoon provided, seal it up, and send it back to me in the pre-paid envelope I had provided (I find this makes the process as simple and painless as possible for my clients).

To ensure she knew that everything was absolutely safe and secure, I called her up as soon as I received the ashes two days later, and also gave her an estimated time that her order would be ready (within two weeks). Once her beautiful glass ring had been created, I sent her the photos before taking payment and sending it on.

Not all companies will go through this exact process (for instance, most will expect (payment upfront), and some may have slightly different creation processes.

For instance, my own creation process involves working with coloured, molten glass which becomes extremely hot and encapsulates the ashes brilliantly, before the glass is cooled down to be shaped, polished and annealed – what you’re left with is a beautiful yet unique end product.

Determining your costs

Unfortunately, budget is another big factor when choosing a cremation glass company to infuse your loved one’s ashes into jewellery. At this point, I like to note that just because a product costs more, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to be higher quality.

An example of this would be memorial pendants, which can cost on average anywhere between £100 and £450 – or even more. To get a better idea of your potential costs, read my blog post ‘How Much Does Cremation Jewellery Cost?’

I usually recommend my clients look for their ideal balance between price and quality – and to ensure they choose a company that makes them feel confident and reassured.

Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post; I hope you’ve found it useful and have come away with some helpful information and ideas of where to start looking for your own cremation jewellery. Always contact a few different companies who can talk you through it to ensure you’re 100% confident before you purchase.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch – I’ll be happy to help point you in the right direction.