Do you ever wonder why people turn ashes into memorial diamonds in UK?

It may come as a surprise, but human ashes or hair can be transformed into beautiful memorial diamonds by extracting carbon from the remains or hair and using it in the ashes to diamond making process. It is a process more and more people are now choosing throughout UK to immortalise the memories of their loved ones.

It is one of the most respectful ways to pay a tribute to someone who was a precious part of your life. Here is all you need to know about the whole ashes to diamonds process in order to understand why so many people in UK are choosing it.

Natural or synthetic, the base of all diamonds is carbon. From vegetation, animals, humans to naturally occurring elements such as petroleum, natural gas and coal, carbon is everywhere. From coal to diamond, carbon must be exposed to incredibly high temperature and high pressure found in the earth’s mantle to become more and more precious.

Even though it seems impossible that the powdery ashes take the form of a flawless and beautifully shaped diamond, the trick is to use carbon present in the cremains. After obtaining that carbon, it can be subjected to the same environmental factors that creates diamonds.

Figure 2: Ashes turned into a rough memorial diamond

In the initial stages, the remains of the deceased are transformed into a stunning memorial diamond by extracting carbon from the human ashes or hair using chemicals. Depending on the amount of carbon obtained and the purity of the ashes, the carbon is combined with generic carbon to create a mixture that can be turned into a diamond.

This ashes to diamonds process may take around three to six months. Many people in UK are now wishing their ashes be turned into a diamond after death and their wishes are being honoured by their loved ones.

Creating Unique Natural Diamonds

Figure 3 Diamond’s main component is Carbon

Carbon is the base for diamonds, but a diamond can only be formed if that carbon is subject to certain conditions that include high temperature and high pressure. Together, the high temperature and pressure change the atomic structure of the carbon and turn it into a diamond. The intensity of heat and pressure forces the atoms of carbon to organise into the unbreakable, stunning, and flawless form of a diamond.

As the human body contains trace amounts of boron involved in the formation of bone, most stones come out blue. Memorial diamonds made from the remains of every person is slightly different, so each created piece is unique.

Many ashes to diamond companies have consultants that can help you select the colours, cuts and even a jewellery setting from the available designs. These diamonds reflect your loved ones and your relationship with them in a unique way providing a well-deserved tribute to the deceased.

Once the cremated diamond is created, it is cut and set according to your specifications. The result is a jewellery piece reflecting light, beauty and the loved one who is not with you anymore.

Who Is Offering This Service?

Figure 4: Lonité AG, the Swiss Memorial Diamond Company

While turning your loved one’s ashes into a diamond is becoming a popular way to pay a tribute to your deceased family members, not all companies who claim to offer the service are worth trusting. The process of making diamonds from human ashes or hair may sound simple enough, but the technology used is highly sophisticated. So, make sure you are able to find a service provider that can be trusted with the precious remains of your loved one.

One of the most trusted memorial diamond manufacturers is LONITÉ who is recognised by the institutes GIA and IGI. Their ashes to diamonds process involves 25 checks and when your memorial diamond is being created, every step will be recorded and documented.

Every year in the UK, remains of between 800 and 900 are turned into memorial diamonds that can be kept in a box or turned into jewellery.

How Much Does it Cost?

The ashes to diamonds process cost in UK as some funerals ranging between £4000 and £18,000. The machinery involved in the process is almost the same as the ones used in a lab that makes synthetic diamonds from other carbon materials. The ash or hair is reduced to carbon and passed through a machine that is at least a hundred million years faster than how diamonds are formed naturally.

The more time given to this process, the bigger the diamond made out of ashes starts to grow. After the new diamond cools off, the crystal is cut and polished, and sometimes engraved with a laser. Only a pound of ash is needed to create a single diamond and up to nine diamonds can be made from the ashes of one person.

A Few Good Reasons to Turn Ashes into Diamonds

We cannot put a price tag on people we love. They are precious and nothing in this world can compare to them. However, there are a few rare items that can perfectly symbolize their worth. Diamonds, being one the most precious stones in the world is one such perfect item.

Figure 5: A close to heart memorial ring jewel

If you want to honour the memories of someone you dearly loved in UK, here are a few more good reasons to turn their ashes into a close heart diamond.

Even though naturally occurring diamonds are worth more than synthetic diamonds, a memorial diamond made from ashes is invaluable for its possessor.
Most self-created diamonds out of ashes are of better quality than mined diamonds.
These diamonds out of the ashes of your loved ones tend to retain the character that is entirely unique to the individual.
The idea of memorialising a family member by turning his/her ashes to the form of a crystal jewellery or diamond is gaining popularity, especially among certain cultures in the UK and Japan
The procedure is a practical alternative to funerals, which can be costly and burdensome in the long run
People opt for this in cases where they are either living alone or far from the place they were born and fear that no one will take care of their grave properly if they are buried
Ordering cremation diamonds and manufacturing them is becoming easier every year
It gives a feeling of closeness to the deceased, where the loved one in a sense returns to them

The Value of a Diamond

The human body contains 18 percent carbon and out of this only 2 percent remains after cremation, which is then used to make memorial diamonds. Like almost all rare and precious diamonds, cremation diamonds allow you to choose from a wide range of variety.

Figure 6 Memorial diamond color, carat, cut and clarity varieties.

The four C’s stand for Colour, Carat, Cut and Clarity. You can choose a memorial diamond that will be made from the ashes of your beloved to perfectly reflect the personality of the loved one you wish to honour through this process. A good service provider will guide you through the process and specifics to help you decide.

What Can You Do With These Memorial Diamonds?

Memorial diamonds are used in various types of jewellery where you will pick yours either from the variety offered by the company that turned the ashes to the diamond, from a local jeweller close to you in UK or from another jeweller of your choice. You can also pick the metal you want such as gold, platinum or sterling silver and the style as well such as modern or vintage. The most popular choices are pendants for ashes, cremation rings made from human ashes and earrings.