Instead of choosing traditional methods of keeping the ashes of a loved one such as burying, putting the ashes in a columbarium, or scattering, more and more people choose a new and more unique way: compressing the ashes of their loved ones and making them into sparkling diamonds.
Make The Ashes Into Diamond
Making diamonds from human ashes, or memorial diamonds has become more and more popular. Carbon is the second most abundant element in human bodies, and crystalline carbon constitutes diamond. Additionally, researchers have been working to improve the process in recent years.
How Are Memorial Diamonds Made?
Making diamonds from ashes begins with cremation. The process of cremation usually leaves about 10 to 20 lbs of ashes, which are mostly carbon.
The cremation process is related to the final product. Some cremation service providers set higher temperatures and for a longer time, resulting in a larger amount of carbon being released. Therefore, more ashes will be needed to create a cremation diamond.
When the cremation diamond company receives the remains, a technician places a sample of the ash in a special furnace to see if there is sufficient carbon to form a diamond.
Once the needed amount is available, the cremains are extracted and impurities are removed. This process involves acidic chemicals to increase the purity of the carbon in the treated ash to about 99% or higher.
The other 1% includes boron and micronutrient. These impurities help humans and other animals grow bones, heal wounds, and regulate the immune system. In addition, boron is the impurity that makes the blue color in rare diamonds in nature.
That is also the reason why cremation diamonds are usually in blue. Their color ranges from blue to dark blue. The more boron, the darker the blue.
To further clean the carbon, cremation diamond makers put the purified cremains into a mold that contains iron and Coban and a small existing diamond.
While iron and Coban further remove the impurities, the small diamond helps the carbon form in the rough form itself. The form of the new diamond is molded based on the existing diamond. Therefore, the final product does not need to be cut or polished.
Depending on the size of the diamond requested, it can take 6 to 8 weeks for the carbon in that mold to crystallize into a complete diamond in a high-temperature, high-pressure machine. The bigger the diamond, the more time it takes to grow.
How Much Do Memorial Diamonds Cost?
The price of a 0.3-carat diamond is about $3,000. The average size of memorial diamonds is in the 0.4-0.5 carat range, although US customers often request larger diamonds at around 0.8 carats.
As mentioned above, the bigger the diamond, the more time it takes to grow – as a result, the more expensive it is.
In addition to diamonds made from human ashes, some people are willing to pay for diamonds from animals or their pets’ ashes.
Regarding preference, many people like rough diamonds while others prefer their loved one’s memorial diamonds cut and polished.
As stated above, the cremation process is one of the factors that contribute to the purest memorial diamond from your loved one’s ashes. Here at Going Home Cremations, compassion is at the heart of our care. Whether you decide to make a diamond or prefer traditional care after the cremation, we always provide the best cremation process for your loved one. With over 20 years of experience, we are one of the longest and most highly recommended in South Florida.
For further information, please visit Our Cremation Page or Call Us For All Other Requests.
