• ✓ Resin is cost-effective but breaks down with light/water over time — better for ornaments than daily-wear jewellery.
• ✓ Glass memorial gemstones are hard-wearing, waterproof/UV-safe, and keep ashes safely suspended.
• ✓ For daily wear, choose glass; for occasional symbolic pieces, resin can work.

Memorial jewellery offers a touching way to hold on to a symbolic portion of a loved one’s ashes.

There are lots of different designs and ways to create memorial jewellery. You might choose jewellery made with precious metals, or you could even choose to have the ashes transformed into a diamond.

If you want the ashes to be visible within the piece, then glass and resin are two of the most popular methods for creating a lasting memorial. In this guide, we’re exploring how each material is used for creating memorial jewellery and looking at the pros and cons for each method.

In general, resin is not as good for creating memorial jewellery as glass. This is due to the physical properties of the material. Resin is more likely to break down with long-term wear. While it might be an effective method for creating beautiful ornaments or for preserving funeral flowers, you wouldn’t want to wear this every day.

What is resin memorial jewellery?

Resin is a kind of plastic that is made by mixing together two liquids that will then go through a process known as polymerization which causes them to set into a hard plastic. As it is transparent, it’s possible to add items into the resin which will then be preserved in the plastic. This could include funeral flowers or cremation ashes.

Resin memorial jewellery is a cost effective way to create small symbolic keepsakes that bring comfort to those experiencing grief. However, for long-term wear, it might not be the best choice of material. It’s often used to create small pendants that allow the wearer to see the ashes. This might be included alongside small items and keepsakes such as petals from the memorial flowers.

Resin might be effective for making ornaments or wall hangings, but it’s not the best material for jewellery. This is due to the wear and tear it will experience every day. Resin will break down over time, and this could leave the ashes exposed. This would be incredibly distressing for the wearer.

Pros of resin jewellery

• Cost-effective method for creating memorial jewellery
• Transparent material allows you to see the contents
• Can be used to preserve ashes or funeral flowers
• Can also be used to preserve locks of hair

Cons of resin jewellery

• Items must be small due to the heat produced during polymerization
• Resin will break down over time when exposed to light and water
• Not a hard-wearing material

What is glass memorial jewellery?

Another method for producing memorial jewellery is to turn the ashes into glass. This is a surprisingly simple method that starts with small fragments of colourful glass. The glass is either heated until it is molten and then the ashes are carefully rolled into the glass, or the ashes are carefully sprinkled between layers of fused glass.

The glass can then be shaped and cooled before it is polished. The result is a glass gemstone with the ashes enclosed within. The glass can be semi transparent or more opaque, depending on the desired style. It’s also possible to roll in metallic fragments to create a glittering and sparkling finish.

This is a very effective way to create memorial jewellery, as it is hard-wearing and resistant to damage. As with resin, there is the risk that the glass could chip or crack if heavily misused, but this would require a lot of pressure. It’s a far more reliable choice for memorial jewellery.

Pros of glass memorial jewellery

• The finished piece looks like a small gemstone
• Safely holds the ashes with no risk of the material breaking down over time
• Waterproof and UV safe
• Can be customised to your taste with different colours and glittering contents
• Can be shaped into different forms, including pendants and charms

Cons of glass memorial jewellery

• Harder to find glass memorial jewellery, as glass work is a trained skill
• Not as easy to add materials other than cremation ashes due to the high heat
• Shapes and styles can be limited

How to choose the right one for you

Choosing between glass and resin memorial jewellery can be difficult. Our advice would be to think about how often you will wear the piece. If you want something symbolic that you don’t wear every often, then resin is a cost-effective way to create a piece of memorial jewellery.

For those who are looking for something more reliable that they can wear every day, glass would be better suited to this purpose. It will help to keep the ashes safe from damage so there is no need to worry about accidental damage.

It’s also a versatile choice for creating a wide range of jewellery pieces in lots of different styles. You’ll have a choice of colours which could be matched to your loved one’s favourite colour, or even to their birthstone.

Resin vs Glass: quick comparison

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