The South Yorkshire Star reported back in February that a Conisborough funeral director has a new addition to its list of services; converting a loved one’s ashes into a synthetic diamond.
The funeral directors send away the remains to have them transformed into a synthetic precious stone which can even be made into a pendant. The process involves extracting carbon from the ashes and then exposing it to extreme heat before compressing it to create the diamond.
The company can also arrange for a portion of ashes to be transformed into a memorial glass. The ashes and coloured glass crystals are fused with molten glass under an extremely high temperature. The pieces of glass are then crafted to form a vase or bubble shape.
A company in America can produce these ‘gems’ using the ashes of a deceased or from the nails and hair of someone who is still living and state they need just 40 grams of either ashes or hair and nails. They have recently extended there service to include pets, living or cremated. Each 1 carat diamond costs just under £4000 and each human body contains enough carbon to make 50—100 diamonds. The process takes just 14 weeks
Hmmm… if performed on an elderly relation, would inheritance tax be payable?
