INTRODUCING STARDUST: HAND-FINISHED ASHES JEWELLERY

Choosing a piece of memorial jewellery is incredibly personal. For some people, the fact that their jewellery has been entirely handmade is an important part of its story. Others simply want to receive the finished piece as soon as possible. With that in mind, I’m delighted to introduce  our Stardust collection - as carefully curated selection of hand-finished memorial ashes jewellery. Stardust is a little different from most of the jewellery I make, but every bit as meaningful.

WHAT MAKES STARDUST DIFFERENT?

My other memorial ashes collections, Encaptured, Echoes and Secrets, are all entirely made by hand. I start with raw silver or gold and lovingly create each piece in my Shropshire workshop, sawing, hammering and soldering as required. It is a wonderfully traditional way of working, but naturally it takes time. 

With the Stardust collection, I begin with carefully sourced, ready-made sterling silver jewellery which I have personally selected for their quality and design. I then carefully set cremation ashes into the chosen piece, before the jewellery is individually hand-finished and engraved. Its a process I describe as handfinished, rather than handmade.

It means I can offer a much wider choice of beautiful memorial ashes rings and necklaces, at a more accessible price and with a considerably shorter making time than much of my fully handmade jewellery. Truly something for everyone.

A LITTLE BIT OF STARDUST

There was something about the name Stardust that felt just right. Many of the designs I've chosen feature sparkling clear cubic zirconia alongside your loved one’s ashes, while others have a simpler, more understated finish. The collection ranges from delicate necklaces to contemporary ashes rings, so there are designs for those who want their memorial jewellery to be quietly discreet as well as pieces with a little more sparkle.

Your chosen colour can then be added alongside the ashes, allowing you to make the finished jewellery personal to the person, or pet, you are remembering. 

WHEN TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE

One of the biggest advantages of Stardust is its shorter making time of 1-2 weeks. My fully handmade memorial jewellery is individually made by myself, Melanie, and can take several weeks to create, particularly during busy periods. I'd love to be able to make these pieces faster, but I am but one person, and there is a limit to how many pieces I can carefully make in a week. 

Sometimes time is what matters most.

You may want your jewellery in time for an important anniversary, birthday or other significant date. Or, having made the difficult decision to part with a small amount of someone's ashes, you may simply feel more comfortable knowing they won't be away from you for too long.

Stardust gives me the ability to offer beautiful, individually finished cremation ashes jewellery without such a long wait.

MORE AFFORDABLE

Using carefully selected, ready-made silver designs also means Stardust sits at a lower price point than my fully handmade jewellery. I wanted to introduce this option without compromising on the things I believe really matter.

Every Stardust piece is still chosen by me. Your ashes are still handled personally and with enormous care. They are still individually set into your jewellery in my workshop, and I still finish and check every piece before it leaves me.

The difference is simply that I haven't made the underlying piece of jewellery from scratch.

I think it's important to be completely transparent about that. Handmade jewellery will always remain at the heart of Hold Upon Heart, it's what I've been doing since 2012 and I love making it. But sometimes you simply want something beautiful fast, that allows you to keep a little part of somebody you love close to you.

And that's exactly what Stardust is for.

THE SAME CARE

Whether I am making a piece completely from scratch or hand-finishing one of my Stardust designs, the way I care for your loved one's ashes doesn't change.

Only a tiny amount is required. When your ashes arrive, I let you know that they are safely with me, and I work on one person's ashes jewellery at a time, keeping them individually handled throughout the process. Any ashes I don't use are returned to you with your finished jewellery.

Because ultimately, whether a piece takes two weeks or eight weeks to make, whether it begins as raw silver or as a carefully selected blank, I know what I'm actually being entrusted with, and that deserves the same care every single time.

STARDUST IN GOLD

I am able to offer most of the designs in the Stardust Collection in 9ct yellow, rose or white gold. I'm working on adding pricing to the website at the moment, but are happy to provide quotes as needed. However as gold pieces have to be placed via my supplier as a special order, the making time for gold jewellery from the Stardust Collection is 10-12 weeks. Which feels very long I agree. Here my handmade collections with their 4-6 weeks making time may be more appealling!

DISCOVER THE STARDUST COLLECTION

The Stardust collection includes a growing selection of hand-finished memorial ashes rings and necklaces with many designs available with sparkling cubic zirconia. With prices currently starting from around £110 and a typical making time of just 1–2 weeks for sterling silver pieces, Stardust offers a simpler and more affordable way to create something precious from the smallest amount of ashes.

Explore the Stardust Memorial Ashes Jewellery Collection