Artificial diamonds are a less expensive, “ecological” choice for many, but some of them are highly unusual: for example, diamonds made from the cremated remains of a loved one.

A few months ago, Ms. Bruce, from Albany in the south of Western Australia, became famous for having her husband's ashes turned into a diamond. The late Robert Bruce is the first person in Australia to have his remains converted into a diamond.

There are companies that offer special “funerals”. They turn the ashes of the deceased into diamonds and the costs are said not to surpass those of a gravestone.

In the US, the company LifeGem Memorials has been offering these services from 2001. LifeGem has subsidiaries in Japan, Germany, Ireland, England, Australia, South America, South Africa, Korea.

The first European company, Algordanza, to manufacture diamonds out of human ashes is Swiss. Since Algordanza's start-up in July, 2004, they have reportedly had around 200 inquiries daily.

How Is It Done?

To produce the “human” diamond, ashes are purified, the carbon is converted into graphite, then pressurized and heated. The process takes up to 16 weeks. The resulting diamonds are elaborately colored — bluish or yellow-tinted and of a high quality, reaching the VVS (very very slightly occluded) clarity level. A name and a date can be invisibly laser-engraved on the stone upon request.

Is This An Option?

The topic is highly controversial, and some people are totally against the idea. They consider it morbid to wear the remains of loved ones as a ring or necklace. Besides, rings and necklaces can be easily lost or misplaced.

Meanwhile, some people believe that preserving the remains of the loved ones in this way is better than just burying them or having them cremated and put in an urn. Some people even specify in their wills that they wish to be converted into a diamond at death.

For those who have doubts arising from the accuracy of the procedure, there is a tracking system to identify remains on the basis of markers. The classic procedure follows the entire process from cremating to faceting.

An American company also offers this service for pets' remains.