Is it legal in Germany to wear ashes in jewellery?

Yes, with one restriction: in Germany the ashes may not be removed from the urn in order to fill a jewellery pendant - this violates the cemetery-interment requirement and the burial legislation of the federal states (see Burial Laws and the Ashes of the Deceased (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)). What is permitted, by contrast, is transporting the urn abroad (for example to Switzerland, the Netherlands or Belgium), filling the pendant there, and bringing the already-filled piece back into Germany. Specialised funerary workshops in those countries offer this service. In Austria and Switzerland the removal of ashes is legally less constrained.

How much ash is enclosed in the pendant?

Very little - typically between 0.5 and 3 grams. That is a minute quantity compared with the total ash volume of an adult (roughly 2–3 kilograms). This small amount is enclosed in a tightly sealed capsule - either with a fine-threaded, laser-sealed screw closure, or cast directly into a glass pendant or an acrylic-resin capsule.

Which closure techniques are secure?

Three closures are considered durably tight. Laser-sealed threaded closure - a fine-threaded screw capsule fused shut by laser sealing. The screw can no longer be undone. Cast-in technique - the ashes are cast directly into an acrylic-resin or glass matrix and the block is then set into a gold mount. Advantage: no closure, and therefore no closure risk. Solder sealing - after filling, a small capsule is soldered shut with a thin gold or silver plate. Solid, but technically demanding.

What does an ash pendant cost?

The price range is wide. Simple stainless-steel capsules with a laser-sealed threaded closure: from €80. Sterling silver and gold pendants with a relic setting: €200–800. Bespoke pieces with a gold mount and individual engraving: €800–3,000. Cast-in technique in acrylic or glass with an elaborate gold mount: €500–2,500. Memorial diamonds made from ashes (see Memorial Diamond): €3,000–25,000.

Ash Pendant

The ash pendant is a modern remembrance pendant with a tightly sealed hollow setting that holds a small quantity of a deceased person's ashes - today the fastest-growing jewellery form in the modern mourning and remembrance market.

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