Cremation jewelry typically has a small compartment where a tiny amount of ashes can be placed, often sealed with a screw or other closure method. For your convenience, we include a filling kit with each jewelry order, which contains a detailed instruction pamphlet, a funnel, a pipette, a toothpick, and sealing glue.
Depending on where you bury your loved one's ashes, an urn may or may not be a requirement. If you or your loved ones own the property where you’ll be burying the cremated remains, the decision to use an urn is entirely up to your preference. However, cemeteries often have specific rules on how to bury ashes, and public and private properties may also have regulations for burying ashes. Always ensure you comply with a location's set guidelines and local laws to avoid any issues.
Cremation urns made from metal and stone are best for burying ashes, because these materials are strong enough to resist collapsing under the weight and pressure of soil. Urns made of wood may still be buried if the urn is enclosed in an urn vault designed for burial, but metal and stone urns are preferable because wooden urns may degrade over time from moisture. Biodegradable urns are also ideal for burial, because they are designed to break down in soil and water in an eco-friendly manner. You should decide if you prefer to bury an urn that will last for decades or centuries, or an urn that will break down and leave no environmental impact.
When you are arranging a cremation and funeral service through a funeral home, the funeral home will typically offer cremation urns for sale. However, urns sold by a funeral home are often priced extremely high in order to create profit. You should know that you are not obligated to purchase an urn from a funeral home, and you can use your own urn to hold your loved one's ashes. By United States law, a funeral home or crematorium must accept outside urns when transferring cremated remains into a container. Purchasing urns from a third party like In the Light Urns is often preferable to purchasing directly from a funeral home or crematorium, because it allows you more flexibility in pricing and urn customization.
Cremated remains are often referred to as ashes, but they are actually remnants of bone that have not burned during cremation. After cremation, the remaining skeleton is crushed into small particles that can vary in size, but usually resemble coarse sand or crushed seashells. These remains may vary in color from white to dark gray, and the exact shade can vary depending on factors such as the temperature of the cremation chamber, the duration of the process, and the composition of the individual's bones. Typically, higher temperatures and longer durations result in whiter or light gray remains, while lower temperatures and shorter durations can produce darker gray or even bluish hues.
Showering with cremation jewelry isn't a good idea, because you risk damaging the jewelry piece or introducing water into the ashes compartment. To protect your cremation jewelry, you should set it in a dry place before performing routine hygiene tasks.
Vase-style urns seal with a threaded closure on the lid, while box-style urns seal with additional screws that hold the lid in place. Keepsake urns and cremation jewelry urns will also have a type of secure lid that seals, usually featuring a threaded closure. These urns will all safely hold ashes without opening, but for further peace of mind, you may choose to additionally seal a lid with silicone, resin, or epoxy glue. To permanently seal an urn using glue, only a small amount of glue is necessary.
As a rough estimate, someone who weighed 200 pounds while alive would have about 200 cubic inches of cremated remains. One pound of a person's weight generally equals one cubic inch of cremated remains. However, a more precise estimate can be found through our urn size calculator, which takes into account age, height, gender, and bone mass to calculate ash volume and suggest a recommended urn size.