Cremation Jewelry – Glass-Infused and Diamond Memorial Jewelry Compared

I was recently reminded of my mortality a few weeks ago when I had to take our faithful cat Angie to the vet. My daughter accompanied me as she feared the worst and wanted to say goodbye to her favorite cat.

Unfortunately, the vet advised that the most humane thing to do was put Angie to sleep, which he gently did. Angie passed on into cat heaven in the arms of a loving owner, telling her that everything would be alright.

My daughter was understandably distraught and spent an extra 20 minutes with Angie to pay her respects and grieve for her loss.

Before leaving, my daughter suddenly implored the vet to give her some of Angie's hair. The vet graciously did so, and my daughter held the hair close to her while she continued to sob.

What struck me was how natural it had been for a young person to ask for a physical memento she could keep in her hour of overwhelming grief. The comfort and memories of a special bond and relationship are now symbolized in those hair strands.

As humans, we all need to face the inevitability of death. Still, we do well to cherish life's precious moments and remember those experiences on the journey.

Angie's memory now lives on. The glass-infused ring is an eternal reminder of her existence and unique essence.

Cremation jewelry has been around for a long time and is now more popular than ever.

There are many options for cremation jewelry, but let's examine glass-infused jewelry and memorial diamonds.

The Process

The main difference between glass-infused and diamond memorial jewelry is manufacturing.

Let's examine the different processes.

Glass-Infused Manufacturing Process

The infused manufacturing process involves mixing the cremated remains (cremains) into the cremation jewelry medium, glass.

The variety of colors and designs is astounding and astonishingly beautiful, with ethereal and surreal effects possible, reflecting the beauty of life.

One of the methods used is the glass blowing process. The cremains are mixed into and become an integral part of the final piece of jewelry.

The cremains are placed between two layers of molten glass, effectively sealing the ashes between the sheets. Finally, these sheets are melted together under intense heat, and the cremains are permanently infused into the glass.

Artists then use a special open flame torch to melt borosilicate glass rods. Finally, through skillful hand movements and special tools, the artist creates each unique piece of glass-infused memorial jewelry.

The piece is then put into a kiln at a high temperature, where it hardens (a process called annealing).

After a controlled cooling process, you have a beautiful, wearable, unique treasure that will ground you to your lost loved one or pet for eternity.

The glass-infused manufacturing process is highly creative and personal.

Immense skill, care, and artistic endeavor are required, offering a unique and personal touch.

The resulting piece is stunningly beautiful and a treasure in the true sense of the word.

Diamond Memorial Manufacturing Process

In the 1980s, the diamond industry changed forever.

In 1954, General Electric announced they had successfully cultivated lab-grown diamonds.

However, only in the 1980s was the process refined enough to be commercially viable.

The manufacture of memorial diamonds from ashes, hair, or nails was made possible in the 1990s when people discovered how to extract the remaining carbon from the cremated remains, forming the basis of the manufactured diamond.

Ashes contain one to four percent carbon. These are then put under high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) machines in a zero oxygen environment, which isolates the carbon from the cremains used to grow the diamond.

Usually, about half a cup of ashes is required to extract sufficient carbon to grow a diamond.

Growing single diamonds is still very costly from a capital costs perspective, with more than a million US dollars required for the machinery.

Manufactured diamonds now exceed natural diamonds in color, clarity, and carat size. In addition, they cost 30 to 40 percent less than naturally formed diamonds due to the high expense of diamond mining.

Lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical composition and structure as natural diamonds and are beautiful gem-quality stones.

Ethical considerations also play a part in people's decision to purchase a manufactured diamond instead of a mined stone.

The Cost

The cost of glass-infused memorial jewelry is significantly cheaper than memorial diamonds.

Both methods result in an object of aesthetic beauty with strong symbolic value.

The choice is often driven by affordability.

You can start from about $85 and upward if you want to get glass-infused jewelry. This offers an affordable option and yet retains the symbolic value.

Cremation diamonds are more expensive due to the process and start at around $700 and upwards, depending on the size and type of diamond you want.

Which Is Right For You?

Only you can answer this.

Memorial jewelry is intensely personal, and people all have different ways of measuring the value of such a piece.

Humans have always been drawn to symbols. What better symbol to wear on your person than one which contains the cremains of a person you loved and lost. A piece of jewelry that constantly accompanies you and reminds you of precious memories.

Both glass-infused pieces and memorial diamonds signify the presence of a lost loved one. Both are beautiful in their own right.

You decide.