Memorial
Gemstones
Mourning gemstones are created as small vessels of memory, designed to hold ashes, hair, fur, fabric, dried flowers, soil, handwritten fragments, or other small sentimental materials within a clear, durable, jewel-like form.
I offer this process because I believe there is something deeply meaningful in preserving what is real, visible, and personally connected to the person or animal being remembered. Rather than relying on vague or romanticised claims, these stones are intended to be honest in their making, allowing the included material to remain present as part of the object itself.
Many commercial cremation gemstones and memorial diamonds are described in ways that suggest they are made directly from ashes, though in many processes only a small amount of carbon is extracted or introduced before a laboratory-grown stone is created around that basis. While those works may still hold meaning for some people, I feel it is important that the process I offer remains clear, direct, and grounded in transparency.
A Sacred Mourning gemstones are made using a conservation-grade, two-part epoxy used internationally in museum, glass, and ceramic restoration. It is water-clear, durable, and valued for its resistance to yellowing over time. Rather than transforming the included material beyond recognition, this process allows ashes, hair, fur, or other small artefacts to be carefully suspended and preserved within the stone.
The result is not a natural gemstone, nor a diamond grown from remains, but a created memorial stone, one that holds something real, tangible, and chosen.
These stones can be set into rings, pendants, reliquaries, or other bespoke pieces, offering a way to carry memory in a form that is visible, enduring, and made with care.
What Can Be Included
Depending on the design, mourning gemstones may contain ashes, hair, fur, dried flowers, fabric, soil, paper, written fragments, or other small materials of personal significance. Each request is considered individually, as not every material will behave in the same way, but I will always approach the conversation with care and honesty.
My Promise
I understand that the materials entrusted to me may be among the most precious things you have, and that sending ashes, hair, fur, or other personal artefacts into someone else’s care can feel vulnerable. My promise is that every inclusion will be treated with respect, privacy, and clear handling from the moment it arrives.
Each package will be carefully labelled, stored, and worked with separately, so that your materials remain clearly identified throughout the process. Any stories, names, or personal details shared with me will be kept confidential unless you give clear permission for them to be shared.
I will only use what is needed for the piece being made, and any unused ashes will be returned with care. For hair, fur, fabric, or other small inclusions, we can discuss beforehand whether unused material should be returned, or whether you would prefer to send only the amount you are comfortable having used.
This work is personal, and it deserves to be handled as such. My role is not simply to make an object, but to help facilitate an act of creation that honours your grief, your memory, your beliefs, and the person or animal being remembered, with care, honesty, and integrity.
Begin a Memorial Gemstone Enquiry
If you are considering a mourning gemstone, you are welcome to begin with a conversation. We can discuss the material you hope to include, the kind of piece it may become, and what feels appropriate before anything is sent.