Product Review & LifeGem Human Diamonds
By M. Kotch
Losing a loved one can feel like going on an unpleasant roller coaster ride of emotions. Shock, anger, sadness—these are all natural reactions. But as you begin the healing process, it can be a great help to know that a loved one is near you in some way, either spiritually (you speak to him or her) or physically (you often visit the place of burial).
If you’ve been searching for an intimate way to keep a loved one close to your heart, a unique type of memorial can be found through LifeGem, a company founded right outside of Chicago in 2001. LifeGem diamonds are created from a loved one’s remains; a small amount can be enough to create more than one stone (which can be given to multiple family members, for example).
According to Vice President and co-founder Dean VandenBiesen, the process begins with a loved one’s cremated remains or a lock of hair, meaning that this option is also available in the case of a traditional burial. “We start by extracting carbon from the ashes, about 8 ounces’ worth.” Working in a low-oxygen, high-nitrogen atmosphere, the resulting carbon is heated, turned into graphite then subjected to the same forces (pressure and heat) that produce natural diamonds. LifeGem’s process takes anywhere from six to nine months to produce the stone(s). The gems are then inspected, graded and set (typically in rings or pendants) through the company directly, or one of its many partner locations. International orders can be placed through their site as well.
From about 8 ounces (200 grams) of carbon, the gems can be created in a number of colors, though the company stresses that the exact shade is impossible to predict (factors such as the carbon itself, oxygen/nitrogen levels and other aspects play a role in the gem’s creation). Here are a few facts about the lab-created diamonds as well as the color choices:
• Yellow: the most affordable option because it is the least time-consuming to make
• Red and green: where electron and heat blasts are used to alter the gem’s color
• Blue: Boron is added in the chemical process to produce a blue shade
• Colorless: the most time-consuming and expensive option
• LifeGem diamonds are rated from VVS to I in stone quality
• Carat sizes range depending on the selected color: .2 carat to over 1.5 carat for yellow, red and green; up to .99 carat for blue; and up to .59 carat for colorless
• Stones are available in different cuts (such as round or emerald)
While the carbon extracted from a loved one’s remains can be made into more than one diamond, about half of LifeGem’s customers opt to create one stone and reserve the rest. “Whatever we don’t use, we can send back to customers to keep, though we often hold it ourselves for safe-keeping in sealed containers with individual serial numbers,” says VandenBiesen. “This means that if the diamond is stolen or lost, we can produce another that is created from the same source.”
It is important to note that while these diamonds are created in a lab, they are still “real” certified diamonds that are no different molecularly than diamonds found in nature, though they would perform differently under certain lab tests. But unless you plan on subjecting the stones to liquid nitrogen then exposing them to ultraviolet light, you won’t notice anything different about the diamonds. As you consider ordering a precious stone from LifeGem, expect to pay precious stone prices: diamonds range from around $2700 to over $8000. More affordable family packages are available, albeit with a more limited choice of stone-color and setting.
What else does the company offer? Pet diamonds (created from a pet’s cremated remains), yellow and white gold jewelry as well as cremation urns.
For more information visit: www.lifegem.com
