Matua Retirement Village

Diamonds are forever: Turning your ashes into diamonds

Who doesn’t want to live forever fabulous? Now I know I can’t really live forever (haven’t yet found that darned elusive fountain of eternal youth), but there is now one way to ensure that I can remain faaaabulous forever. When I die: forget that scatter my ashes over the ocean business. No, sweetie. When I’m gone you need to make me into a diamond!

You heard it, you now have the opportunity to turn your ashes into diamonds and shine bright forever.

Memorial diamonds, as they’re commonly known, have been around since the early 2000s and are a way to create those synthetic diamonds from your cremated ashes, bones, or simply a lock of hair. And because who wouldn’t want to be made into a diamond? – they’re hitting the tops of wish lists for what to do with remains, among those in the know.

Companies like LifeGem, Algordanza, and Heart in Diamond are making it easy to turn yourself, a loved one, or even your favourite pooch into an everlasting gem. You have a range of choices including colours, stone cuts, carats, and sets of multiple stones to choose from, each with different price points and turnaround times. Turn me into a 2 carat Orange-Yellow princess cut and bill my ex-husband for it!

In all seriousness, diamonds are a wonderful way to be remembered and kept with loved ones always – a beautiful reminder that you are always there with them. With sets of up to 4 stones available with most memorial diamond companies, you can be with all the family, and passed down through future generations.

Memorial diamonds are surprisingly affordable, generally starting from a couple of thousand dollars, with companies offering payment plans so the cost can be paid off gradually over time. For more information, have a browse through those websites I mentioned early on in the piece.

I think turning my ashes into diamonds is the best thing I’ve heard about my options for when I’m no longer here. Not only do I love diamonds myself and find the idea of turning myself into one absolutely hilarious and fitting, I also love the fact that after I’m gone a little piece of me will be with my family still. Hey, it beats my final resting place being sitting in an urn on the mantelpiece in the living room watching repeats of Shortland Street all day, right?