Cremation Stones: The Glass Alternative
With the surge in the amount of people choosing cremation (vs. burial), many new and unique keepsake options have been introduced by manufacturers worldwide. This includes jewelry that holds ashes, unique candles, and small keepsake urns. In addition, cremation stones have gained a lot of interest over the past few years – these are made from solidified remains and typically have a white, grey, or brown appearance. A lot of people will compare these ‘stones’ to river rocks and you can keep them in the home or place in the yard.
An alternative to cremation stones made from solidified remains that is becoming quite popular are ones made of glass and infused with ashes during the glass production process. These are commonly also referred to as glass touchstones or memory stones. Below we highlight 5 benefits of glass touchstones.
5 Key Benefits of Glass Cremation Stones
- Beautiful Colors – glass touchstones can be made in an array of colors and patterns, adding unique beauty to each piece. The ashes are infused into the piece during the glass making process and can also typically be seen as a whitish color. Alternatively, cremation stones made only from solidified remains are typically a solid white, grey, or brown color.
- Easy to Keep with You – stones made from glass are typically about the size of a half dollar coin. These can easily be carried with you in a pocket, purse, briefcase, etc. and allows you to easily keep a piece of your loved one close.
- Attractive Option to Give Family or Friends – with glass stones each family member or friend receives a beautiful colorful small piece infused with a loved one’s ashes to keep with them.
- Production Time – where cremation stones made from solidified remains can take months to produce, ash infused glass stones are produced by most suppliers within weeks after receiving the ashes.
- Cost – cremation stones made from solidified remains cost anywhere from five hundred to over two thousand dollars, whereas, touchstones made from glass cost only about $200
In summary, both stone options present excellent choices for families. While there are advantages to glass memory stones (as noted above), some still prefer the option with the solidified remains. With either ‘stone option’, families can also choose another memorial for their loved one, such as a tree burial or ash scattering.
Additional Cremation Glass Options
In addition to glass touchstones, there are also additional cremation glass options to consider. This includes glass hearts and glass orbs – similar to memory stones, these are also infused with a loved one’s (or pets) ashes and come in a variety of colors. The Living Urn produces these at its glass production studio and, similar to memory stones, offers these in three different color options - Lily Green, Ocean Blue, and Peaceful Sunset.