Memorial Jewellery In cornwall
Ashes in glass jewellery, made with care in Cornwall
There are some pieces of jewellery where the making matters just as much as the finished piece.
Memorial jewellery is one of them.
I create bespoke silver and gold jewellery incorporating ashes in handmade fused glass, working alongside Cornish glass artist Claire Harris.
Claire creates the glass cabochon using a small amount of your loved one’s ashes, and I then design and handcraft the jewellery around it in my Charlestown studio.
The result is something made specifically for you — not chosen from a catalogue, not mass produced and not made using resin.
It can be simple and understated or completely individual.
And if you have inherited jewellery of your own, I can sometimes incorporate that into the design too. You can also read more about my jewellery redesign service.
Something you can keep close
Losing someone changes things.
Sometimes having something physical to hold, wear or simply know is there can matter more than you expect.
That person might be a parent, partner, child, grandparent, friend — or a much-loved pet.
I don’t believe memorial jewellery needs to look obviously like memorial jewellery.
It can simply be a beautiful piece that happens to carry a part of someone important with it.
Every piece is individually designed and handmade. Some are created entirely from new silver or gold, while others incorporate inherited jewellery, family gold or existing gemstones.
There isn’t a standard design.
There shouldn’t be.
Why this process is different
Two specialist makers — Claire creates the fused glass cabochon, and I design and handcraft the finished jewellery. Made locally in Cornwall — the glass is made in St Austell and the jewellery is made in my Charlestown studio. Your ashes stay in trusted hands — I personally deliver and collect between our studios. Silver and gold available — including 9ct and 18ct gold. Inherited jewellery can sometimes be reused — if you have family gold, gemstones or an existing piece, I can look at whether it can become part of the new design. No standard settings — every piece is designed individually around the glass, the materials and the person it is being made for.
The design is always led by the person, the story and the jewellery you want to wear.
How it works
Claire makes the fused glass, I make the jewellery and I personally take the ashes between our two studios.
That means there’s a very simple chain of care from you, to me, to Claire and back again.
Only a small amount of ashes is needed. Anything unused is returned to you with the finished piece.
The hands behind your heirloom
Your memorial jewellery passes through just two pairs of hands: Claire’s and mine.
Claire creates the fused glass using a small amount of your loved one’s ashes. I then take that individual piece of glass and design and handcraft the silver or gold jewellery around it.
There’s no production line and no catalogue setting that your glass has to fit into. Each part is made specifically for your piece.
Claire — fused glass artist
Claire and I have worked together for several years, and I trust her completely with this part of the process.
She carefully incorporates a small amount of ashes into the glass before firing it in her kiln. Because the glass is handmade, every cabochon develops its own pattern, movement and character.
No two ever come out exactly the same.
You can see more of Claire’s glass work here.
Jo — silversmith
Once I collect the finished glass from Claire, the jewellery comes back to my bench in Charlestown.
I design the setting around the individual cabochon and make the finished piece by hand in silver or gold.
Just like my other bespoke jewellery, the design is made specifically for the person who will wear it.
If you’d like to incorporate inherited jewellery, existing gemstones or family gold, I can also look at how those might become part of the design.
If you’d like to know a little more about me and how I work, you can meet Jo here.
From one studio to the other
I personally take the ashes to Claire and collect the finished glass when it’s ready.
It’s a very simple process and I like it that way.
Your memorial piece stays between two local makers who know exactly what it represents and understand the care it deserves.
Why I choose ashes in glass
I only recommend ashes in glass for memorial jewellery.
That’s a deliberate choice.
Resin can scratch, cloud and change over time. For something designed to hold such important memories, I want to work with a material that feels more permanent and that can be properly incorporated into a piece of jewellery.
Claire fuses a small amount of ashes into the glass itself, creating a cabochon that is then set into the silver or gold jewellery I make.
Every piece of glass comes out differently.
The colour, pattern and movement within it are part of what makes each piece individual.
For me, that combination of glass and traditionally made jewellery gives the finished piece a strength and longevity that feels right for memorial work.
Memorial jewellery options
I can create memorial jewellery in silver, 9ct or 18ct gold, depending on the design and what feels right for you.
The fused glass can be made in a range of colours and shapes and I’ll design the setting around the individual cabochon rather than forcing it into a standard mount.
Pieces can include:
- rings
- pendants
- earrings
- bangles
- cufflinks
- charms
- pieces incorporating inherited gold or gemstones
If you already have jewellery you’d like to include, bring it along. I can look at what might be possible and whether it makes sense to reuse it in the new piece.
You do not need to arrive knowing exactly what you want.
We can work that out together.
Memorial jewellery without ashes
Not every memorial piece needs to contain ashes.
Sometimes the most meaningful starting point is a photograph, an existing piece of jewellery, a birthstone or another small detail that instantly connects you to someone.
I can create memorial jewellery in a number of different ways, including:
- family birthstones set into a new piece
- two or more existing rings combined into one
- pet nose prints or paw prints recreated from a photograph
- simple line artwork or silhouettes created from a favourite image
- inherited jewellery redesigned into something you can wear every day
- gemstones or gold from a loved one’s jewellery incorporated into a new design
The finished piece doesn’t have to explain itself to anyone else.
It just needs to mean something to you.
Thinking about memorial jewellery?
You don’t need to have the design worked out before you contact me.
If you’d like to talk through the options, ask about colours or shapes, or find out whether inherited jewellery could be incorporated, just get in touch.
I’m happy to explain the process and help you work out what feels right.