Striking Cremation Diamond Necklaces from Ashes
Wearing jewelry is an act that a lot of people enjoy. Doing so may emphasize one’s position in society or enhance the outfit of that person. At the same time, we wear them for sentimental reasons too.
There are many different types of jewelry we wear, and the oldest types were necklaces. These necklaces can be pendants, lockets, or other necklace styles that have been influenced by the modern times.
In fact, it is also possible to wear necklaces from cremation ashes as well. They can choose from various designs available in the market. This allows them to always be with their departed loved ones.
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WHAT ARE NECKLACES?
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Necklaces are types of jewelry worn around the neck. The band, cord, or chain is the main part of a necklace. This may be either made of strings or metals such as platinum, gold, and silver, to name a few. There can be beads or gemstones attached to it. Examples of these gemstones are diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and pearls.
Necklaces are considered as the earliest types of jewelry, and are even traced back to prehistoric times. Read below to find out more on how and where necklaces originated.
HISTORY OF NECKLACES
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The earliest necklaces were found in the Ancient Near East (Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, ancient Iran, Anatolia, and the Armenian highlands. These necklaces were made of bones, feathers, plant materials, and shells. This was changed to wearing metallic necklaces during the Bronze Age. Engraved cylinder seals were worn in ancient Mesopotamia, while the necklaces from ancient Babylonia were made of gold and lapis lazuli.
Different types of necklaces were worn in Egypt and are used to determine one’s ranking in society. For example, upper-class Egyptians wore collar-style necklaces made up of precious metals and stones for celebratory purposes. They also had these necklaces during religious and funerary events. Some of these necklaces had beads and gold that was modeled into plants and animals like scarabs.
In ancient Crete, it was acceptable for everyone to wear necklaces, although they can be distinguished depending on the type of necklaces they wear. The upper-class Cretans wore beads made up of pearls, amethysts, rock crystals, and other semi-precious stones while the lower-class citizens had stones strung on flax thread.
The necklaces of ancient Greeks were made of plated gold and adorned with animal-shaped stones. Some of these necklaces even had bottles of perfume strung on them. On the other hand, the ancient Etruscans has granulated gold beads, faience beads, and glass to make colorful necklaces. The ancient Roman elite wore necklaces made of diamonds, amethysts, pearls, and sapphires. Some of these necklaces were even imported from parts of Mesopotamia.
Bold, colorful, and gaudy necklaces became fashionable after invasions made by the Roman Empire. The Byzantine era was known for its techniques to enhance the colors of the necklaces they wore. Necklaces in the Christian style such as pendants made of the cross and other religious iconography became popular during this period.
HISTORY OF DIAMOND NECKLACES/PENDANTS
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Diamond necklaces were worn by the wealthy during the reign of the Roman Empire. However, there was the notorious affair of the diamond necklace at the court of King Louis XVI involving the countess Jeanne de la Motte and Cardinal de Rohan, a former French ambassador to the Viennese court.
The former King Louis XV asked jewelers to make the most beautiful and grand diamond necklace they can make. He planned to give it as a gift to his mistress Madame du Barry. The diamond necklace was priced at approximately 2,000,000 livres ($14 million in 2015 USD).
The necklace is filled with large diamond pendants, festoons, and tassels. Unfortunately, King Louis XV died from smallpox and Madame du Barry was banished from the French court.
The Parisian jewelers Boehmer and Bassenge decided to sell the necklace to Queen Marie Antoinette, but she repeatedly declined, saying that the money would be better spent on warships.
On the other hand, Cardinal de Rohan left a bad impression on the queen and her mother, the empress Maria Theresa. He was desperately trying to regain the queen’s favor to no avail. With this in mind, countess de la Motte persuaded Cardinal de Rohan to write letters to the queen. He did not know that it was the countess de la Motte who has been answering his letters. As time progressed, Cardinal de Rohan got the impression that the queen was in love with him.
After that, countess de la Motte said that the queen would like to buy the diamond necklace .but through a secret intermediary since she did not want the public to know about it. He pledged to pay the diamond necklace in installments and he brought it to countess de la Motte. Again, he did not know that the diamond necklace was broken up and sold in London by the countess’s husband. However, he was unable to pay the first installment.
This resulted to the jewelers asking the queen about the payment of the diamond necklace. The scandal was revealed and the involved people were arrested under the orders of King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette’s husband.
Even though it was proven that the queen had nothing to do with the diamond necklace, the public imagination on her frivolity was strengthened because of the incident. This is one of other causes that led to the French Revolution.
HISTORY OF CREMATION NECKLACES
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Necklaces that were made from the remains of loved ones were called mourning necklaces, and were often made of teeth, hair, bones, nails, or even drops of blood. These types of mourning jewelry had primitive designs. As time progressed, the quality of mourning jewelry improved as well. More elaborate and expensive looking mourning jewelry meant that the bereaved family was wealthy.
The main reason for mourning jewelry (or cremation jewelry) is the absence of photography at the time. Mourning jewelry or cremation jewelry is a form of memorial dedicated to their departed loved ones. In this way, family members have something that will best remind them of the deceased. Still, the emergence of photography did not eradicate the use of mourning jewelry or cremation jewelry; it only made them more decorative.
This is an example of a mourning jewelry necklace with a picture of the deceased in the 1900s. These mourning necklaces or cremation jewelry necklaces may be mixed with other materials like beads. Black beads are often used a sign of mourning. Other colors such as blue and purple may be used once the family is in the final stage of grieving.
THE RISING POPULARITY OF URN NECKLACES FROM CREMATION ASHES
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People who opt for cremation when disposing of the bodies of their dead loved ones may want to keep the ashes close to them. Most of the time, they store their departed loved one’s ashes in cremation urns. They may be buried in a cemetery, placed in a columbarium, or kept at home. However, there are people who would like to bring even just a small amount of ashes with them wherever they go. This is how cremation urn jewelry started.
Pieces of cremation urn jewelry are sometimes called keepsake urns because they can hold only a small amount of ashes. This is suitable for family members who would like to divide their deceased loved one’s ashes among themselves.
Cremation urn jewelry comes in many forms, but one of the most common types is urn necklaces from ashes. These necklace urns from ashes have different designs to choose from, ranging from the simplest to the most decorative. Cremation pendants and cremation lockets from different materials are available in the market. This gives people the opportunity to choose what type of urn necklaces from cremation ashes will be the best for them. Cremation pendants are favored by most people because the contained ashes become the focal point of the cremation necklace.
TYPES OF NECKLACES
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Our necklaces may also be classified according to their length. Here are the following standard lengths:
Collar – 12-14 inches
Choker – 14-16 inches
Princess – 16-18 inches
Matinee – 20-22 inches
Opera – 30-36 inches
Rope/Lariat – 36 inches or more
COLLAR NECKLACES
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Collar necklaces have a standard length of 12 inches to 14 inches, and are the shortest among all types of necklaces. They come in different styles although most collar necklaces have thick bands. This necklace rests directly above the collar bone, and is how this type of necklace got its name.
Collar necklaces look best when paired with collarless clothes and tops with low necklines. They are often worn on their own, without any other necklaces.
CHOKER NECKLACES
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Choker necklaces are often mistaken for collar necklaces, but they are slightly longer with a standard length of 14 inches to 16 inches. They can be made from a wide variety of materials. Valuable chokers can be made from gold, silver, or other types of metals, while some choker necklaces can be made of plastic as a more affordable option. They may even be combined with beads, stones, and feathers.
Chokers were worn during the ancient times of the Egyptians and the Chinese, but it was Alexandra, Princess of Wales who made it famous in Europe during the late 1800s. She wore chokers to hide a scar on her neck. It became out of style but experienced resurgence in the 1940s. It became a trend again in the 1990s when grungy styles were considered fashionable.
Choker necklaces can be worn below the collar bone or very high on the neck. They may even be combined with other types of necklaces. Thin chokers may be paired with longer necklaces while thick chokers can be worn on their own. Stylists recommend wearing them with scoop necks and V-necks.
PRINCESS NECKLACES
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The princess necklace has a standard length of 16 inches to 18 inches. They can be made of a number of gemstones or a single precious stone in the middle. The focal piece of a princess necklace usually ends up below the collar bone. Most people consider the princess necklace with a length of 18 inches as one of the most flattering necklace lengths.
The princess necklace is often made of precious gemstones. This is most suitable for formal attire, but can also be paired with a V-neck and a blazer.
MATINEE NECKLACES
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Matinee necklaces have a standard length of 20 inches to 22 inches, which makes them great for layering with other necklaces. They can be made from large stones that will serve as the main points of the matinee necklace or simpler designs so that they do not compete with other accessories.
This type of necklace usually falls around above or at the center of the bust. Matinee necklaces are recommended to be worn with high necklines, turtlenecks, and V-necks.
OPERA NECKLACES
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Opera necklaces have a standard length of 30 inches to 36 inches. They are one of the most versatile types of necklaces because you can layer them with other necklaces as well. You can opt to wear it as a single strand, or wrap it as two or three more strands around the neck.
Opera necklaces normally fall below the bust line, although longer lengths may even reach the belly button. They are best paired with chokers and a V-neck top, but you can experiment with collar necklaces too.
ROPE/LARIAT NECKLACES
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Rope necklaces (also known as lariat necklaces) are the longest type of necklaces with a length of 36 inches or more. Rope necklaces do not have a clasp. It is usually draped multiple times around the neck and worn as a choker, but can be wrapped around the neck two or three more times.
The rope or lariat necklace fall at or below the belly button. However, they can be adjusted based on your desired length. This can be worn with any type of neckline depending on how you wish to wear it.
SIGNIFICANCE OF NECKLACES
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People wear necklaces for a variety of reasons. In the modern age, they are more willing to wear necklaces for fashionable purposes. Simple necklaces are worn during normal days while elaborate necklaces are reserved for special occasions. People often wear these kinds of jewelry to improve their outfits.
But during the ancient times, it is more prevalent for people to wear necklaces for religious or funerary purposes. They consider it as a part of their rituals and other ceremonies. In fact, there are people who still wear them up to this day. The designs have been modernized and may even be adorned with other precious stones, but the cross is one of the most enduring designs for religious necklaces.
One of the other beliefs during the ancient times was that there are stones that have magical abilities which will bring protection or good fortune to the wearer. These amulets and talismans are often turned into necklaces. They often wear these when they have to undertake important journeys.
On the other hand, necklaces can also be used as a sign of wealth or position in the society. The number of gemstones and the type of material used in the chain that holds them together are highly valued. For them, more flashy ornaments are designated to the rich while the less fortunate only get to wear necklaces made from simple beads and threads.
Necklaces are also worn for their sentimental value. There are some types of jewelry that have been passed on from one generation to another. They may be worn during birthdays or other special events in one’s life. At the same time, we also wear necklaces that were given to us by people we treasure.
There are also instances when we wear necklaces made from cremation ashes of our departed loved ones. These cremation necklaces that hold ashes have evolved over the years, and can even be made of valuable materials. This is helpful especially for those who find it extremely difficult to adjust to the loss of a loved one.
EVERDEAR™ MAKES DIAMOND NECKLACES FROM CREMATION ASHES.
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We have come a long way in terms of memorializing our loved ones. Instead of simply burying their remains or keeping their ashes in cremation urns, ideas such as infusing cremated ashes with glass or pressing them into vinyl records have been accepted by some. Another possibility is the transformation of your loved one’s ashes into cremation diamonds.
EverDear™ is a USA company that specializes in the production of cremation diamonds from ashes. We are able to turn ashes into diamonds through the extraction of carbon from the cremated ashes and/or hair of your loved ones (since carbon is the main component of diamonds), simulation of an environment where natural diamonds are formed (high pressure and high temperature), and the cutting and polishing of the cremation diamonds from ashes.
Wearing jewelry is an act that a lot of people enjoy. Doing so may emphasize one’s position in society or enhance the outfit of that person. At the same time, we wear them for sentimental reasons too.
There are many different types of jewelry we wear, and the oldest types were necklaces. These necklaces can be pendants, lockets, or other necklace styles that have been influenced by the modern times.
In fact, it is also possible to wear necklaces from cremation ashes as well. They can choose from various designs available in the market. This allows them to always be with their departed loved ones.
