You want a way of remembering, and knowing that your loved one is with you.
In the first few weeks following a ceremony, the sense of emptiness can feel a little overwhelming. Speaking from personal experience, memorial jewellery can provide great comfort and a sense of relief. Wanting to make a symbolic gesture is common, and is something memorial jewellery can provide.
The tradition of bereavement and memorial jewellery isn’t a new concept. Having an item of jewellery to remember someone who has passed away dates back as far as the Ancient Roman times.
However, it wasn’t until the Renaissance period that rings similar to the keepsakes we create today were made. Rings with inscriptions of the name and date of death were given to family and friends.
‘Memento Mori” jewellery came next, during the Georgian period. Designed as a reminder of your own mortality, the jewellery featured skulls and skeletons, which was probably one of the reasons why the popularity of memorial jewellery didn’t pick up until the Victorian era.
Whitby Jet jewellery, made famous by Queen Victoria, signified the increasing demand for refined bereavement keepsakes.
Technological advances meant that photos could be worn within pendants, and hair could be woven into a range of items, so the sophistication of jewellery in memory of a loved one rose.
Now, Memorial jewellery has never been more elegant.
There are a whole host of options available depending on how you’d prefer to remember your loved one. Below we’ll guide you through some of the options available, with a wide range of choices depending on what means the most to you.
Signatures
A signature is said to reflect who you are and how you’d like people to see you - according to analysts at least, who decipher the psychology behind whether you include your middle name, how your script falls, and much more.
Everything from the size of the signature to the slant and dotting reveals something intricate about your personality, which makes the engraving of a signature on commemorative jewellery all the more special.
For years, it has been the most formal representation of your loved one. Why they chose that particular style is something we often don’t think to the question - it’s simply theirs.
This makes their iconic swirl of handwriting, on everything from birthday cards to notes as simple as a shopping list, incredibly sentimental.
Engraving signatures and handwriting on a keepsake is an incredibly popular method of daily remembrance. We developed a range of signature memorial jewellery that allows our customers to remember in a meaningful way.
Pendants and necklaces are often the most popular choice. Made of sterling silver and gold, stunning pendants provide beautiful ways of displaying your loved one or keeping them hidden under your clothing with you at all times.
However, pendants aren’t for everyone. There is a range of unique items that can be engraved with signatures that could have a specific meaning to you or your loved one, whether that’s a tag, a flask, or a ring.
Fingerprints
Nothing is more personal than a fingerprint. Even though fingerprints are grouped into one of the following general patterns - the hook, bullseye, twin loop, peacock, peak, hill, spiral, and the loop - even twins can’t have the same fingerprint, which signifies the meaning behind fingerprint jewellery.
Fingerprints are the perfect reminder of life, as fingerprints are formed whilst still in the womb, and are one of the only things on our body that remains unchanged throughout our life. It’s more than a mark - it’s a reflection of how your loved one behaved and lived their life, which is an incredible memory to wear.
You can engrave a completely unique pattern on a range of pendants and rings, however you can also engrave individual items such as guitar picks and cufflinks, providing you with an extra special memory whilst carrying around the things that inspire you.
Photos
A picture paints a thousand words. We cherish images of our loved ones, holding onto them and passing them down generations as a reminder of our family.
Although often tinged with sadness, a regular activity following the passing of a family member is looking through photo albums and remembering the memories you made together. In this time of sadness, photos can often bring joy, as forgotten memories come to light and are shared with the family - whether that’s uncovering childhood pictures we were previously unaware of, or photos we’d simply forgotten about that provide a lovely reminder of them.
With images providing a documented story of life, photos often lift spirits, providing a beautiful visual timeline. This is the reason many people choose to engrave images of their loved ones on jewellery, as it provides a way of holding them near.
Of course, there are beautiful photography items around the home, with glass frames and canvas prints, that do more than a simple photo frame could ever do.
We also find that people enjoy having photographs on everyday objects that they would previously fail to consider. Take a golf ball for instance - a photo print provides the perfect opportunity to focus on making the green, or maybe even an excuse for missing it, but the experience is made all the more special with the photo there.
Ornaments
Unique glass ornaments make sure the memory of your loved one lives forever. Glass ornaments have always been a symbol of the passions and interests of the owner, giving them huge significance in the home.
With the first glass ornaments being produced in 1597 and brought to fame in 1846 following an illustration of Queen Victoria’s Christmas tree being published, they have always been a fitting remembrance for loved ones.
Advances made in engraving technology now allow you to remember your loved one by adding photos - both plain and in colour - as well as wording to beautiful boxed ornaments.
This results in beautiful pieces throughout the home that provide an heir of subtlety. What makes engraved ornaments truly special is when the light catches them, as their glow grabs your attention and helps you remember for a split second.
Cremation Pendants
Belgravia Pendant is a fitting tribute, and one of the most intimate ways of remembering your loved one. Your loved one’s ashes are contained within a vessel, meaning they are with you at all times.
However, when they first originated, cremation jewellery and pendants didn’t contain any ashes. Instead, as we alluded to earlier, they contained intricately woven hair that resulted in elaborate items of jewellery.
Jewellery made out of hair has long been known as the most intimate piece of jewellery someone could give. In fact, in the Victorian era and American Civil War, jewellery with elements of hair woven into it was given as a keepsake (sometimes referred to as a love token).
These items were passed down through generations because of the significance of the items and the sacrifice involved in making the jewellery. Traditionally however, these were only to be worn for the first few years of mourning, however it was Queen Victoria herself who broke this tradition and wore her jewellery for the rest of her life.
Advances in technology allow the most wonderful way to keep a loved one close to your heart. Jewellery can be designed with methods of holding ashes within it, either stored in a void within the jewellery itself or made directly into the items.
As with Ashes Chamber Pendants made with hair, ashes are added to understated heirlooms that guarantee your loved one will never be forgotten.
If your loved one preferred a burial, rather than cremation, you can still use a pendant to remain close to them. Often, people enclose a scattering of sacred ground following the funeral, or an item of particular significance - anything that helps you feel at ease with the pendant around your neck.
The cross shape has traditionally been the most popular vessel for ashes due to its religious significance. However, there is also the popular bullet-style shape that has emerged in recent years, providing a modern, functional variant to the religious alternative.
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