Where can I find an affordable, beautiful necklace for cremation ashes?

February 26, 2009 3:30 PM

Where can I find a beautiful but affordable piece of jewelry for cremation ashes?

I wrote about this here

I would love a piece of jewelry for a small amount of ashes. Unfortunately, as much as I'd love to commemorate her as she deserves to be commemorated, I am a graduate student, and I am poor.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a piece of jewelry under 50$, preferable silver?

This is gorgeous, but 213 + taxes is unfortunately not in budget, these days.

posted by namesarehard to shopping (7 comments total)

sorry for your loss

How about this silver perfume bottle necklace?
If you search ebay and etsy for perfume bottle necklaces, I think you'll find better/cheaper results.
posted by rmless at 3:43 PM on February 26

Not really the same, but this artist at Etsy is doing some interesting things. You send her the ashes and she crafts a glass piece around them.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 3:43 PM on February 26

Here are some more from ebay
posted by rmless at 3:45 PM on February 26

How about an antique locket? Search on ebay under "antique locket silver." Lots of neat choices.
posted by inkyr2 at 4:28 PM on February 26

I'm so terribly sorry about your friend's passing. I wish I had known about that Etsy artist a couple of weeks ago. In my bereavement time, I have found that asking people for help, for discounts, for financial understanding, etc. has been met with an incredible amount of flexibility. I encourage you to do so, with the knowledge that your love and remembrance of your friend are so meaningful that the honor you are doing will open people's hearts.

I'm sorry that's not a better, more useful answer, but I hope it helps.
posted by bunnycup at 7:06 PM on February 26

Seeing the previous question you referenced, I thought this could be really neat.

this is a vintage perfume pendant that has a bit of the same simplicity of the one you linked.

this one is blown glass and very pretty.
posted by missjenny at 7:31 PM on February 26

Experience here: keep in mind that the ashes will not be as "fine" as you expect them to be, and may require some extra grinding to fit into your container (think kitty litter, not sand). This is very easily done.

Double bag the cremains in the thickest ziploc bags you can find (heavy duty freezer bags are best) and roll over them with a marble rolling pin or tap them lightly with a metal kitchen hammer. Don't use a wooden roller as it may damage the roller. Be patient and don't try to smash them all at once. Grind them against themselves and they'll go to powder easily. Then, shake all the remains down to one corner of the bag and carefully snip a very small portion off to make a funnel. Don't worry if you spill the ashes or get them on your hands. There's nothing harmful in them.

Also, as you've probably discovered, jewelry made specifically for ash storage is way overpriced. The suggestion to go for perfume bottle is a much better one.
posted by ColdChef at 8:56 AM on February 27