Memorial Jewellery and Ashes Guides

I am Julia Usher, a master jeweller. I make memorial jewellery from ashes, hair and fingerprints, at my bench in a woodland workshop in rural Staffordshire.

I have been at the bench since 2001, when I started at the Birmingham School of Jewellery. I qualified in 2004 and I have worked as a jeweller ever since. I was not the first in my family. My great great grandfather, Samuel Usher, made mourning rings in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter in 1872. You can read more about his story on our Golden Link page.

I am asked a great many questions. What is actually in cremation ashes? How much do you need for a ring? Will resin go yellow? How do you take a fingerprint from someone who has passed away? What do I say to a child whose grandad has died? How will we get through the first Christmas?

I am always delighted to share what I know. These guides are where I have written my answers down, so they are here whenever you need them. You will find guides on choosing memorial jewellery and ashes jewellery, on cremation ashes and what to do with them, on remembering a much loved pet, on grief and the firsts that follow a loss, and on how memorial jewellery is made.

Choose a subject below, or search the guides.

Browse the guides

Memorial Jewellery GuidesChoosing a piece, the different types, and caring for it.Browse the guides Pet Memorials and Pet LossLosing a much loved pet, and ways to remember them.Browse the guides Cremation AshesWhat ashes are, and what you can do with them.Browse the guides Grief Support and Life's FirstsGrief, supporting others, and the first birthdays, anniversaries and Christmases.Browse the guides How Memorial Jewellery Is MadeHow a piece comes to life at my bench.Browse the guides FAQs and Practical HelpShort answers to practical questions.Browse the guides

Good places to start

Julia Usher at her bench, checking a hammerDoes resin memorial jewellery go yellow?My honest answer, from the bench. Polishing a silver ashes ring at the benchWhat makes a good memorial ring?Ten things to think about before you choose. Marking out a silver disc on the bench blockFingerprint jewellery: the complete guideChoosing, taking a print and caring for it. A couple walking along a quiet path, holding flowersEverything you need to know about cremationWhat happens, what to expect, and your choices. A dog resting on a bed at homeWhat to do when your dog passes at homeCalm, practical steps for the first hours. A hand hanging a white bauble on a softly lit Christmas treeWhat to write on a Christmas memory treeGentle words to remember them this Christmas.

A question I have not answered?

Please always feel free to ring me on 01283 260245, or email me at info@ashesmemorialjewellery.com. It will always be me or my dad who answers the phone. I always welcome your questions, and if there is one I have not answered here yet, it may well become my next guide.