Where to place the remains of a loved one can be an agonizing decision. It is also a very personal one. An Illinois company claims to realize this and in turn is offering a unique option: For a few thousand dollars, you can turn a loved one’s ashes into diamonds.
That’s right, a diamond. A precious gem that serves as a shining reminder of your loved one’s presence on earth and a lasting token that can be at your fingertips forever. It may sound disturbing, but the company offering the service, LifeGem, has seen a steady growth in business. The diamonds are all made on site at the company’s Elk Grove Village factory, which has patented the process that takes nature millions of years.
LifeGem’s owner explains the process this way: “The LifeGem process is started with eight ounces of human remains.” From there carbon is extracted from the ashes, heated and converted to graphite. Then, it is put into a diamond press and exposed to tremendous heat and pressure. What is left is a rough diamond.
According to the company’s owner, “LifeGems and diamonds are identical in all properties. In order to be called a diamond, you have to be a 10 on the Mohs scale, which is the hardest substance scale. They have the same brilliance, fire and luster.” As for the diamond’s color, LifeGem’s owner says that’s based on individual impurities in the carbon, and for now the size is limited to just under a carat.
LifeGem customers say they are more than pleased with the results, citing the benefit of being able to wear the remains of their loved ones on their fingers or around their neck. Rings and pendants are LifeGems most requested items. The company says turning ashes into precious jewels is a fitting way to memorialize a loved one whose beauty is unmatched.
The gems vary in cost from about $3,000 to nearly $20,000. They can be created from ashes or locks of hair.
For more information on how you can turn your loved one’s ashes into a diamond click here.