Creating a piece of memorial jewelry is an incredibly personal and sentimental process. Who better to share and continue this tradition with than the people you love the most, your family. To have something easily transportable – wearable even – that encourages you to remember that special person or moment each day is a wonderful idea…to be able to pass that down to your loved ones in the future makes it even more special. The great aspect of this type of jewelry is that by its creation it can come to mean something not only to you, but also to the rest of your family – even if they were not lucky enough to know the person the jewelry is dedicated to, or weren’t there for the occasion it represents. In other words it can become an heirloom.
What is an Heirloom?
An heirloom is defined at its core as something of special value that is handed down from generation to generation. Note this is not always something of great expense; value can have multiple meanings in this context. In other words, a family heirloom can be anything that is important and cherished. Memorial jewelry fits this description perfectly, as its value is not only attributed to its material, but also to its emotional significance. What could be more valuable than the ability to share with your children and grandchildren and their grandchildren a piece of their past as represented in a lovingly handcrafted item that will last lifetimes into the future? It begins conversations about that moment or person and keeps them alive.
Creating your Families Heirloom
Memorial jewelry at its heart is one of the most personal gifts you can create to pass on to your family. You can have a bespoke piece of jewelry created using petals from a favorite flower, or from your loved ones memorial service. These can then be carefully combined with ashes of your family member if you so wish. The end product is a symbol of that person which your family can continue to pass on for generations to come. Alternatively you could begin a piece of memorial jewelry for your children, adding to a charm bracelet important events marked by a bead on a bracelet – something to be cherished.
The wonderful thing about such an item is you are not merely passing down a material item; you are inviting your loved ones to remember. Imagine giving to your own granddaughter a completely personalized necklace which is delicately handcrafted using the petals of your own wedding bouquet or your grandmother’s memorial flowers. It begins a conversation about someone they might not have been able to meet, and you can share memories and stories about someone whom you loved greatly, or an event which shaped your life. They in turn can pass these stories down to their grandchildren. It is not the jewelry itself that is beautiful it is what is represents; memories of a loved one or a moment that is more valuable than anything money can buy.
