Resin Cremation Jewelry: Creative Ways to Keep Ashes Visible in Gemstone Designs

We often receive requests from clients to incorporate not only unique and symbolic gemstones, but also ashes set in resin as part of our custom memorial jewelry designs. In this blog, I want to share some of the different ways we can create cremation jewelry—specifically with resin.

What Is Resin in Cremation Jewelry?

If you’re not familiar with resin, it’s a natural or synthetic material that begins as a viscous liquid and hardens into a durable, plastic-like substance. Resin maintains its shape well, protects materials from damage, and can be mixed with pigments for color. In cremation jewelry, resin can also be combined with ashes—when it hardens, it creates a lasting way to visibly preserve the ashes within a jewelry design.

Ashes Hidden vs. Visible in Jewelry

Typically, in our memorial jewelry, we use a technique we developed where we insert the ashes into the band or behind the gemstone and seal them shut within the metal. This is discreet and secure, but it doesn’t allow the ashes to be visible. For many people, memorial jewelry is deeply meaningful—a way to maintain a connection and bond with their loved one—so visibility can be an important part of the design.

One recent client wanted to see the ashes, but in a discreet way. Together, we came up with a design plan that incorporated her chosen birthstones while still keeping the ashes visible but private. Here’s a breakdown of how we created each piece:

Stud Earrings with Ashes in Resin

These are actually my favorite. We made classic stud earrings using white sapphires, the birthstone of the wearer. We hollowed out the middle of the setting, leaving a small gap between the stone and the back, where we tucked the ashes. From the front, the sapphires look beautiful and simple, but when you tilt the earrings to the side, you can see a small, darker circle beneath the center stone—that’s where the ashes are.

 

Necklace and Earring Set with Hidden Ashes

For this set, we created hidden compartments behind the bezels. The ashes were tucked behind the center stones. From the front, you only see the star sapphire—opaque and beautiful—but when turned around, you see the ashes clearly. It’s clean, discreet, and meaningful. I also love that the pendant rests directly against the skin, which feels even more personal, almost like carrying your loved one closer to your heart.

You want to be really careful when you're putting any type of resin onto a surface, because if used incorrectly, it can easily fall off. Working with resin in this way requires care, we use special techniques that compact, polish, and seal the ashes so they are held in securely. 

Gemstone Ring with Birthstones and Ashes

Lastly, we created a custom cremation ring with a white sapphire at the center, surrounded by rubies and alexandrites to represent other family members. From the top, it looks like a classic, elegant ring. But beneath the sapphire, we built a small compartment sealed with resin to hold the ashes.

This design shows that you don’t have to choose between gemstones and resin—you can have both. Even in tiny pieces like studs, we were able to incorporate ashes in a subtle and meaningful way.

Creating Meaningful Cremation Jewelry

Overall, this was such a special project to work on. I loved bringing our client’s vision to life, and I think the final pieces turned out beautifully. If you’re looking for custom memorial jewelry, or any personalized design, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to reach out through the links below—I look forward to creating something meaningful for you.

To design your own custom piece or for any questions, contact us today or send us an email at info@fineandflux.com or 514-805-2293. Once the order is placed we will send a cremation packaging kit to your home as well as instructions on how much and how to package the ashes.