A popular post burial trend is creating diamonds from ashes which is spreading fast across major funeral markets in the Asia Pacific region such as in Japan, Hong Kong, China and South Korea among others and more recently, in Australia. This is because a large number of Australians are looking for innovative and more affordable funeral solutions to supplement the existing traditional alternatives to sending off departed loved ones.
Diamonds from Ashes vs. Natural Diamonds: What is the real difference?
Diamonds from ashes are artificial diamonds that are created in the laboratory from the carbon content of the cremated remains of a deceased. On the other hand, natural diamonds are formed at elevated temperatures and pressure at depths of 140 to 190 km in the Earth’s mantle. According to a recent study in the journal Nature, carbon-containing minerals provide the carbon source and the growth occurs over periods from 1 billion to 3.3 billion years.
Specialist diamonds from ashes companies like the Swiss based LONITE which has an existing branch office in Sydney, Australia uses state of the art HPHT technology to press and transform the purified carbon into diamonds, a process that imitates the formation of natural diamonds under the conditions of intense temperature and pressure.
During the diamonds from ashes creation, the carbon content that is extracted from the cremated ashes of the deceased is converted into flaked graphite in a cylinder shape to prepare it for the final technical steps that require pressure and temperature measurement. Diamonds from ashes creation takes between 6 to 9 months depending on the size and color of the diamonds from ashes to be created which also determines the ashes to diamonds cost in Australia.
Diamonds from ashes creation requires gemologists and scientists that are qualified and academically trained to identify and evaluate natural and artificial gemstone materials. The diamonds from ashes craftsmanship also requires an understanding of the application of the HPHT diamonds from ashes creation technology, as well as designers who combine the skill of expression of human creativity and imagination in a visual form before drawing a plan to illustrate the look of the diamonds from ashes before it is made.
Diamonds from Ashes: A Funeral Trend Taking Off in Australia and the Whole Asia Pacific Region
The funeral industry in Australia is valued at approximately $1 Billion with a current population projection of over 40 million people by 2030 and relatively 200,000 funerals per year. The industry is dominated by one major company, Invocare which controls about one third of the funeral service market in Australia and which also runs over 40 brands such as White Lady, Guardian, Simplicity and a range of local service providers in 225 funeral homes and 16 cemeteries and crematoria since 2016.
A typical funeral in Australia ends in a post burial ceremony called a Wake; a social gathering of the funeral attendees after the funeral service and burial have concluded. It is geared towards remembering the deceased and offering condolences to the bereaved; food and beverage are often served. A Wake is a personal decision made by the deceased or the bereaved and is influenced by one’s religion, culture and family traditions.
Diamonds from ashes have over the years become popular with modern families in the Asia pacific region in countries like Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong because it addresses some of the issues that affect the existing traditional burial options across these markets and the ashes to diamonds cost in Australia is relatively affordable for the average citizen.
The lack of burial space in Australian cemeteries and in columbaria at large: In 2014, headstones at the Dudley Park cemetery in Payneham, South Australia were bulldozed as part of the recycling of more than 400 graves, which was heart breaking for some of the bereaved who were previously unaware that the gravesite was temporary.
Rise in prices of traditional burial spaces: A typical funeral in Australia ranges from A$ 5,397 to around A$ 20,237 for an elaborated ceremony, complete with casket, burial and flowers. These prices increase by almost 13% annually which is barely affordable for an average citizen compared to the average ashes to diamonds cost in Australia.
Convenience: Globalization has made many families in Australia mobile, thus making it hard to attend to family gravesites. Despite the fact that one can pay the cemetery or a florist, to take over this job, most modern families are looking for permanent natural solutions to this like the diamonds from ashes option.
Australians are now looking for more and more creative ways to say goodbye to their departed loved-ones and mostly some more affordable existing solutions besides diamonds from ashes.
Just like most countries within the Asian Pacific, Australia has embraced direct cremation in which the deceased is cremated immediately after death with no prior funeral service as opposed to the existing traditional cremation thus bringing the national cremation rate in 2017 to slightly over 70% in Australian Metropolitan areas. The average cost of a direct cremation in Australia ranges from A$ 2,024 to A$ 3,912 while the average cost of a traditional cremation is approximately A$ 10,012.
The average ashes to diamonds cost in Australia starts from A$ 2,900 and can go up to A$ 25,800 depending on the size, cut and color of the diamonds from ashes ordered, as each characteristic requires extra technical efforts.
Surprising Things you can do with the Cremated Ashes of your Loved One besides Diamonds from Ashes.
Besides diamonds from ashes, there is a wide range of unique things to do with the ashes of your loved one post cremation. These include;
Ashes into a reef: The process involves putting the remains of the deceased into a cement mix before it is poured into the form which the coral grows on; this ecologically safe option helps to preserve and protect the marine environment.
Ashes into space: Here the ashes of the deceased are launched into space in a trip into orbit and back to earth or a one-way ticket on a more adventurous journey into deep space.
Memorial tree: The cremated ashes of the deceased are placed into an urn which is then planted in the ground; the urn naturally decomposes in the long run as the roots expand through the biodegradable urn resulting into the birth of a very beautiful tree.
Green Cremation: Here, a chemical process that uses water and potassium hydroxide alkali solution chemically heats the remains and what is left is a fragment of bones. When purified and dried, these tiny particles are the same as traditionally cremated ashes.
Ashes into ink tattoo: Here, a portion of the remains of the deceased are mixed with tattoo ink before it is applied to your body; reportedly there aren’t any health concerns involved.
The funeral industry in Australia was previously dominated by one major company with little or no competition, from very small-scale businesses and family owned funeral service providers, thus resulting in major exploitation of the bereaved in their time of need. Credited by convenience and a pocket-friendly ashes to diamonds cost in Australia, diamonds from ashes have since taken over the face of the Australian Death industry.