Turning ashes to glass: How much does it cost? 

No matter how much we don’t want to think about it, money is a concern for many when someone dies. Even if your loved one left you a reasonable lump sum, there might not be much left over after paying for the funeral arrangements and tying up legal loose ends. Having a limited budget could leave you worrying about whether or not you can afford to commemorate the life of the person you once loved so much.

Turning ashes into glass is a beautiful, meaningful and affordable way for anyone to celebrate the life of someone they’ve lost. To help you decide if making a treasured piece of cremation glass is within your price range, here’s an overview of factors which affect the cost and how to keep your spending down to a minimum.

It depends

Frustratingly, there’s no single answer to the question: “How much does it cost to turn ashes to glass?”.

The cost of turning ashes into glass depends on a number of different factors. The type of ash glass you want, how detailed you want the design to be and how you want to use the finished piece all play an important role in determining the price. 

Although so many different elements to consider can make things feel a tad overwhelming at first, they can be useful. Being able to choose the shape of glass, customise how it looks and decide how you’re going to incorporate it into your life can empower you to create a keepsake as unique as the person you want to remember.

Glass design

The type of design you want for your piece of glass made from ashes is one of the first things that decides the price. The more complex and detailed the design, the more money you can expect to pay. This is because more complicated designs require more time and expertise to make. 

A glass bead in a single colour with a simple design is the cheapest option, usually costing £50-£100. A glass bead made with multiple colours in an elaborate design is more likely to cost £100-£200.

Metal

If you’re planning to have your cremation ashes in glass placed into a metal setting, the type of metal you choose will also affect the price. Silver is often the most cost-effective choice, followed by yellow gold, white gold and rose gold, with the higher carat number reflecting a higher price.

Platinum and palladium are usually the two most expensive types of metal you’ll find when it comes to turning ashes into glass.

Other gemstones

One of the simplest ways to keep the cost of your glass keepsake down is to only have a single gemstone made from ashes glass. The more gemstones you include in the piece, the more money you can expect to pay. 

This also applies to other gemstones not made from ashes glass. If you choose to adorn your tribute with precious stones, the cost will rise with each extra gem.

Engraving

Many people choose to personalise their tribute even further by adding a meaningful engraving. The cost of this addition varies according to the size of the engraving, the size of the glass stone and the type of engraving.

A basic engraving in one of the standard fonts used by the manufacturer usually costs £10-£25. However, some companies will engrave your piece of glass with a message in the style of your loved one’s handwriting. You can expect to pay closer to £50-£100 for this option.

Final item

One more thing that determines how much your ashes glass costs is what the final product looks like. There are many things you can do with your one-of-a-kind keepsake and the more extravagant your choice, the more expensive it will be.

The cheapest option is to turn your cremation ashes into glass and stop there. This way you’ll have a beautiful glass gemstone you can carry around with you or keep somewhere special where you’ll see it every day. This type of tribute costs £30-£50.

Many people like this idea, but are concerned about losing the piece of glass, since they tend to be quite small. In this case, you can request to have a glass paperweight made which you can keep at home or on your desk at work.

More than a simple item to keep your papers in order, these pieces of art are truly stunning and can be used more as a decoration than stationery. Glass paperweights made from ashes cost around £200.

If you want something more practical, consider turning the ashes to glass jewelry. Although this option is more expensive than choosing a simple glass bead made of ash, it does allow you to keep the precious gemstone close to you and make it very difficult to lose.

Turning ashes to a glass ring typically costs £300-£800, depending on the intricacy of the ring’s design and the metal you choose. If you’d rather turn the ashes to a glass pendant, you can expect to pay £100-£900, again depending on the style and metal type you prefer.

Glass earrings made from ashes cost £100-£600, while specialist beads made for charm bracelets usually cost £30-£200 each. 

Affordable for everyone

However much or little you’ve put aside to pay tribute to your loved one, a glass keepsake made from cremated remains is something everyone can afford. If you shop around and choose wisely, you can easily design a special charm for as little as £30 or a meaningful decoration for £200. 

You don’t have to spend a fortune on a memorial piece for it to be significant. After all, one of the most basic uses of a special tribute like this is to provide you with comfort and solace in times of need. Regardless of how much you spend, each time you look at your memento, you’ll be reminded of just how much the person you want to remember meant to you and how much you valued your connection.