USA: Man-made diamonds are being created as an alternative way to memorialize deceased loved ones

Cremated remains of the deceased are being transformed into diamonds for the living to remember and memorialize their loved ones. After 19 years of marriage, Barbara Macknick's husband Don Rybold passed away in November, 2002. She fondly remembers his striking blue eyes, his loving personality and the trips they took together. She decided to have his remains made into a small yellow diamond after scattering his ashes in several bodies of water around the world. Macknick said she heard about the hi-tech process on the radio. "As soon as I heard it, I knew that it was something I wanted to do" Macknick said. She admits thinking about how others would perceive her diamond. "I thought maybe it would kind of creep people out, you know...she's wearing remains. But I haven't had that reaction not even once." Macknick got her diamond from Life Gems, an Illinois-based company. Life Gems uses a process that extracts carbon from cremated remains of people and pets. The carbon is heated to extremely high temperatures then another process converts the carbon to graphite. The graphite is then placed in a diamond press, where the material is heated and pressurized. A manufactured diamond is born. These manufactured diamonds are considered real diamonds and are said to be identical to natural diamonds. Prices for these diamonds range in price from 3,000 to nearly 20,000 U.S. dollars (USD). The prices vary depending on size and colour of the diamond desired. Diamonds are inspected and graded, by gemmologists. The entire process takes approximately 24 weeks. An emotional Macknick said of her diamond, "It's a whole composite. It's a totality of a personality. It's very nice to have, I have to admit that. It's very nice to have." Life Gems have taken advances in technology to create a lasting and unique tribute for those who wish to remember their loved ones.

ITN Source | July 4, 2007

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