Types of Memorial Jewellery: A Complete Guide
What are the different types of memorial jewellery available?
Memorial jewellery comes in many forms, including rings, pendants, bracelets, lockets, and cremation jewellery containing ashes or hair keepsakes. The right choice often depends on how you want to carry the memory of someone important and whether you prefer a visible tribute or something more discreet.
- →Ashes jewellery can preserve cremation ashes within sealed chambers or kiln-fired memorial glass.
- →Hair keepsake jewellery preserves a lock of hair within a wearable memorial piece.
- →Different jewellery styles suit different lives some people prefer discreet everyday pieces, while others choose more visible statement memorials.
Navigating memorial jewellery for the first time? This can be an overwhelming task during an already overwhelming time in your life. To help make this process easier, we have compiled a comprehensive guide to the types of jewellery available.
One of the best parts about memorial jewellery is that it is so adaptable to different needs. This means that you can find a piece of jewellery that really resonates with your style and personality.
You might choose to wear a piece of jewellery in a style that the deceased would have loved. This can help you to feel more connected to the person. Or you might choose something in the style of other pieces that you wear, to help make the memorial jewellery as discreet as possible. It’s also common for people to choose a statement piece that they might only wear for special occasions.
To help you in your journey to finding the right piece of memorial jewellery for your needs, we’re sharing some of our favourite styles and some insight into how they are made. By the end of this guide, you should have a much clearer view of the options available to you, which can make the selection process easier.
Secret chamber jewellery
At the top of our list of memorial jewellery is secret chamber jewellery. If you want to feel confident that your loved one’s ashes are safe and secure, there is no better way to preserve them. With this type of jewellery, we create a hidden compartment within the jewellery and then permanently seal the ashes inside.
Popular types of hidden compartment jewellery include:
- Rings – the hidden compartment is either hidden in the band or below the setting. You might choose to have a piece of memorial jewellery as your engagement ring or your wedding band as a way to include the deceased in your wedding day plans.
- Pendants – with a hidden compartment in the pendant, you’ll always have something to reach for in moments of doubt. A pendant necklace can also be worn above or below your clothing, so it makes it a perfect choice for those with restrictions on their jewellery choices at work.
- Earrings – with a small hidden compartment in each earring, you’ll feel closer to your loved one when you are wearing them. These could be dressy earrings for special occasions, or everyday earrings for everyday wear.
- Cufflinks – popular with men for their wedding day and other special occasions, you can instantly feel connected to your loved one while wearing special cufflinks. These might be monogrammed or include a special inscription.
- Bangles and bracelets – a simple memorial tribute to a loved one that can be worn every day or for special occasions. With a permanent bracelet, we can even weld the clasp so that it is designed to be never taken off.
Glass gemstone jewellery
Another popular type of memorial jewellery is glass gemstone jewellery. This is a bright and cheerful way to pay tribute to a loved one. You could choose a glass gemstone in their favourite colour, or you could choose one to match their birthstone.
Glass gemstones are far better than resin for protecting cremation ashes. The ashes are rolled into the centre of molten glass so they are suspended in the glass, or are fused within layers of glass.
Glass gemstones are commonly added to the following types of jewellery:
- Pendant necklaces – a glass gemstone can make a simple pendant personalised and fun. Wearing a pendant is a popular choice as this can be hidden under clothes if you have restrictions on jewellery at work.
- Rings – choosing a glass gemstone for a ring setting is a bright and bold choice that is perfect for statement jewellery.
- Bangle charms – a glass gemstone can be shaped into a charm that fits onto a bangle, making a bright and beautiful statement to commemorate your loved one.
- Earrings – if plain studs aren’t to your taste, you could decorate your studs with glass gemstones. This simple statement piece is subtle enough for everyday wear, but still special enough for occasional wear.
How to choose the right type of memorial jewellery
Decide what you would like the jewellery to preserve
Some memorial jewellery contains cremation ashes, while other pieces preserve hair, fingerprints, handwriting, or engraving. Thinking about what feels most meaningful is often the best place to begin.
Choose a jewellery style that suits everyday life
Rings, pendants, bracelets, lockets, and cufflinks all create different experiences when worn. Some people prefer discreet pieces, while others want a more visible memorial connection.
Consider how the memorial element is incorporated
Modern memorial jewellery can use sealed chambers, hand-crafted kiln-fired glass, engraving, or hidden keepsake spaces. The construction and materials affect both appearance and long-term durability.
Choose the piece that feels emotionally right
There is no single “correct” type of memorial jewellery. The most meaningful pieces are usually the ones that feel natural to wear and quietly comforting over time.
Diamond jewellery
The ultimate piece of memorial jewellery is a diamond piece. This will become a cherished family heirloom that can be passed down through the generations. Rather than turning ashes into a diamond, which is both expensive and likely to yield poor results, we prefer to add lab-grown diamonds to a piece of hidden compartment jewellery.
Unsure about diamonds from ashes vs glass? Diamonds made from ashes are often expensive and can appear yellow with inclusions. Many families choose memorial glass or a lab-grown diamond set into hidden-chamber ashes jewellery. Learn more by reading: Things You Need To Know About Cremation Jewellery.
Popular choices for diamonds include:
- Earrings – a classic pair of diamond studs will dress up and dress down perfectly. This could also be a touching gift for a special occasion like a wedding or graduation.
- Rings – it’s not uncommon to add diamonds to wedding rings and engagement rings to make the occasion even more special. If you were unable to ask for a loved one’s blessing before a proposal, this can be a touching way to include them in this special occasion.
- Necklaces – a simple diamond pendant set on top of a hidden compartment is a beautiful piece of jewellery that could be a statement piece or something for everyday wear, depending on your taste and style.
Personalised jewellery
Alongside adding ashes to jewellery, there are also many ways to personalise the jewellery to make it unique. The jewellery will already be unique, as it contains the ashes of a loved one, but with a few extra steps, it’s possible to make the jewellery special and unique to you. Possibilities include:
- Engraving – you can add a message to the jewellery, such as a name or a birth date. You could also include a phrase of encouragement that your loved one was known to say.
- Fingerprints – before cremation, it’s possible to take an impression of their fingerprint and then use this to personalise your memorial jewellery. For pets, you could also include a paw print impression.
- Handwriting – adding an engraving of the deceased’s handwriting is a beautiful and touching way to create a truly unique memorial piece of jewellery. There will be nothing else like it in the world, and you’ll have a lasting reminder of your loved one with you at all times.
Photo jewellery
The final type of memorial jewellery is photo jewellery. This would typically include lockets, which are small pendants that hold a folding case that opens up to reveal a photo. This could also contain ashes, hair or fur to commemorate your loved one.
Photo jewellery could be combined with ashes jewellery by including a hidden compartment to hold the ashes. It’s also possible to laser etch images onto jewellery with a larger surface area such as a pendant or dog tag.
Learn more by reading: Things You Need To Know About Cremation Jewellery.
Choosing the right one for you
Making a final selection will require some long thought about the type of jewellery you are most likely to wear. You should also consider your line of work and explore if jewellery is practical for everyday wear. Finally, think about if you want a statement piece or something that is subtle and understated.
You might also choose to have multiple pieces of jewellery made in order to address the different needs of different outfits.
