What Is Cremation Jewelry?

Cremation is becoming ever more common; in fact, the cremation rate in Canada was 72.1% in 2018. This is a drastic change from 50 years ago, when the cremation rate was 5.9%. This has, inevitably, led to a shift in the ceremonies and practices used in memorial services. At one time, ashes were almost always stored in an urn. After that, we started to see an increase in scattering ceremonies where ashes are scattered in places that were important to the deceased and their loved ones. Now, there are novel, new ways of keeping ashes, one of which is cremation jewelry.

There are many different types of cremation jewelry. One of the most common is cremation urn jewelry. With this type of jewelry, a small urn is crafted into the shape of a piece of jewelry - a ring, a pendant, a necklace, or almost any other type of jewelry you might imagine. The opening to these pieces is quite discreet; their interiors are hollowed out so they can contain a small amount of ash. One of the advantages to this type of jewelry is that you can get matching sets, so many loved ones can have the same piece. There will be some ash placed in each piece. Many families are choosing this route instead of a traditional urn because it means each family member can have a keepsake to remember the deceased by, instead of having a single urn.

Another way of creating cremation jewelry is by making the piece out of the ashes of the deceased. The most common way of doing this is with glass-blowing. The glass-blowing process results in some incredibly unique pieces. The ash is mixed with molten glass; it reacts with the glass which creates bubbles, flecks, and a wide variety of different colours. The ash reacts differently each time, so each piece is completely unique. 

You can also use ashes to create diamonds. The process is time, energy, and cost-intensive; the ashes are placed under extreme temperatures and extreme pressure in order to transform. Very few companies are equipped to engage in this type of procedure, so you’ll generally need to ship the ashes to one of the handful that are doing it. The process can take months to complete, but the end result is an enduring memorial to your loved one.

While we don’t make diamonds from ashes, we can certainly help you get in contact with the people who do. We can also help you get in touch with the artists who do glass-blowing. For those of you who are looking for keepsake urns in Winnipeg, including jewelry urns, give us a call. There’s no one right way to memorialize a loved one, so no matter what your unique needs or circumstances are, you can talk to us. Whether you’re looking for a traditional urn, a scattering ceremony, or something more modern, we’re here for you.