/ 27 May 2006

Dust to dust, ashes to diamonds

United States-based company LifeGem has developed a way to turn the remains of your loved one into a diamond in about 24 weeks.

It does this by extracting carbon from the ashes of the body, subjecting it to intense heat to create graphite and then placing it in a special diamond press which replicates the awesome forces deep within the Earth.

A diamond that takes millions of years to occur naturally can now be created from the carbon of your loved one in about six months or nine months in the case of a blue diamond. It takes as little as 227g of remains to make a single diamond and those with enough cash can order up to 100 diamonds to be synthesised from the remains of a single individual. LifeGem says it has created diamonds for more than 1 000 families since its founding a few years ago.

Now the company has gone one further by creating a range of diamonds using nothing more than a lock of hair from long-departed celebrities such as Ludwig von Beethoven.

“These will be the only three diamonds ever created from Beethoven’s carbon and could be considered the three most rare and valuable diamonds in the world,” says the company on its website. Deceased pets can also be turned into rocks using the LifeGem process.

There appears to be brisk demand for these diamonds from bereaved family members with up to $14 000 to spare after funeral expenses. Instead of a casket of ashes sitting on the mantlepiece, LifeGem offers a more dignified repose for loved ones, whose remains can now be turned into a glistering rock that can then be worn on a ring or around the neck.

The top end one carat diamond goes for about $14 000 and the smallest stones for about $2 500. Customers can choose from a range of carat sizes and cuts. The diamonds are available in shades of yellow and blue, and like all natural diamonds, each stone has its unique characteristics and flaws.

The finished stones can be laser inscribed with an identifier and tribute to the loved one and come with a certificate of authenticity.

LifeGem says these are genuine diamonds, with the “same brilliance, fire and hardness as any high-quality diamond you may find at Tiffanys”.

The company uses cremated ashes to create its diamonds, but the chances of turning buried loved ones into rocks is less certain. For that, you have to get in touch with its call centre.