Jeweller turns ashes of loved ones into necklaces and bracelets

And one jeweller is taking that to extremes.

Karen Taylor is pioneering a new approach called cremation jewellery that sees bracelets, heart necklaces, pendants, memorial candles and glass beads made incorporating the ashes of a loved one or a pet.

The 52-year-old, who ran Precious Jewellery at the Trading Post in Port Solent for the past three years, was first introduced to the idea back in 2011 and is now being flooded with requests.

Karen said: ‘At first some people thought it was a bit spooky to use a person’s ashes to create jewellery as of course it’s quite a personal thing to have done.

‘I confess that I myself thought it was a bit “out there” in the beginning but then after the first few times I did it, it didn’t bother me any more. I began to see why customers would like it, as it could help them get over the loss of a person or pet.’

Karen moved Precious Jewellery out of the Trading Post on Sunday and now works in her showroom and workstation in Stubbington.

Over the past year, Karen has been flooded with requests from family members and pet lovers asking for her to use their ashes in creating personal tokens to help the customer keep the family member close to them.

Beads and bracelets have been the bigger sellers. To make the items, Karen takes a teaspoon of the ashes, which are then added into a process where rods of glass are melted before a shape is then sculpted.

The process can take from around
10 minutes up to a couple of weeks to make.

Karen, of Titchfield Road, Stubbington, added: ‘I want people to be aware that there is a service out there that can help immortalise a person or a pet’s memory.

‘Adding ashes to a piece of jewellery really adds further meaning to it. I treat them with great respect as I know that some would be unsure about the process.

‘In the last month, interest has picked up since I started taking requests on Facebook.’