Diamonds are forever in new initiative

By Rebecca Fraser
THEY say diamonds are forever and now they really can be.
With the help of a technique from the United States and Europe the ashes of our nearest and dearest can now be transformed into gemstones and diamonds.
And instead of sitting in an urn on the mantelpiece you can now take some of the remains of your lost ones everywhere you go and they can always be with you.
The Bunurong Memorial Park in Dandenong South is the sole provider of this service in Australia, and helps customers from around Australia decide the size, cut and colour of their gemstones and diamonds before organising the transportation.
The ash (only 200g is needed) is then sent via Bunurong to LifeGem, a company based in the United States.
There the ashes are taken to Pennsylvania where they undergo a purification process and the carbon is extracted from the cremated remains and turned into graphite the natural precursor of diamonds.
They are then transported to Florida where they go to a diamond growth factory in Florida and undergo various levels of intense heat and pressure over a long period before being made into a diamond.
The three colours available are yellow, blue and red and the carat size ranges from 0.25 to 1.3.
Client services manager at Bunurong Michelle Sabau said they had been offering the service for two years, and eight orders were currently being processed with four diamonds already delivered within Australia.
Ms Sabau travelled to Western Australia when the first life gem in Australia was presented to a family that had lost their father to cancer.
She said the response had been overwhelming and very emotional.
“I just had tears in my eyes. The family were just so happy when they received it,” she said.
Bunurong has received hundreds of enquiries about the relatively new practice but Ms Sabau said this did not spell the end of the traditional funeral process.
“There is still a full funeral for all family and friends to mourn and there is a memorial and plaque so that everyone still has a place to reflect and pay their respects,” she said.
“But then some immediate family member or partner may decide to take things that little step further and have something made that is very special and personal to them and is completely unique.
“It does not get much more personal than that as you can always be close to your loved one,” she said.
The larger the diamond the longer it takes to create with prices starting at $3500 depending on the colour and/or size of the stone.
Each diamond is also certified for authenticity.
Blue and red diamonds take up to 12 months to complete, while yellow stones take between four to five months and a client can then choose to have the stone set in a piece of jewellery of their choice.
Ms Sabau said enquiries about the life gems have come from many sources.
“People who have lost children 10 or 20 years ago have contacted us and want to have a life gem made,” she said.
“They can just as long as the ashes are still intact.
“Other people also use money from the deceased’s estate to have the life gems created because they have said it is what their family members would have wanted.
“It is amazing for people who have lost someone near to them as now they can take them everywhere and keep them close,” she said.
She said she had also received an order from a family who wanted earrings made, one with the father’s ashes and one with the mother’s ashes.
“In the end they decided to mix the ashes together and make a set of earrings.
“Another person made an enquiry about having her three pets’ ashes made into gemstones once they pass on.
“It has just been overwhelming,” she said.