In the first days after a pet dies, many families expect the hardest decisions will be medical. But grief has a way of saving a few choices for later—quiet, practical questions that arrive when the house is too still: Where should the ashes go? Should we keep ashes at home? Do we want something we can hold, wear, or pass down? And if the answer is “yes,” what kind of keepsake actually fits the way we miss them?
Part of what’s changing (and why you’re seeing more memorial options than ever) is the simple fact that cremation is now the most common choice in the U.S. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate was about 60.5% in 2023 and is projected to rise to 81.4% by 2045. And the NFDA also projects 61.9% for 2024, reflecting a steady shift that’s made room for more personal memorialization. The Cremation Association of North America tracks similar trends and notes that as cremation rates pass 60%, growth tends to slow—while still continuing upward over time.
That broader shift matters because it explains something you may be feeling personally: you’re not “strange” for wanting a memorial that doesn’t look like the ones you grew up with. Many families still choose a traditional urn, and that’s often the right anchor. Others want a blend—an urn for home, a small keepsake for a sibling who lives far away, and a piece of jewelry for daily closeness. And some families—especially after a deeply bonded pet relationship—find comfort in something even more unusual: a diamond, a piece of glass art, or a vinyl record that holds literal traces of their companion.
This guide will walk you through those specialty options with plain-language expectations: how they’re made, what they tend to cost, what you actually receive, and how to decide if they fit your grief style—without losing sight of the basics like cremation urns for ashes, pet urns for ashes, and funeral planning.
Start with the “home base” decision
Before you think about diamonds or vinyl, it helps to decide where the “main portion” of ashes will live—at least for now. Even families who ultimately scatter or choose water burial often keep ashes at home temporarily, because grief rarely moves on a neat schedule. If you’re unsure about etiquette, safety, or family comfort levels, Funeral.com’s guide on keeping ashes at home can help you think through placement, sealing, and long-term plans: Keeping Ashes at Home: How to Do It Safely, Respectfully, and Legally.
From there, the memorial choices become less overwhelming, because you’re not trying to solve everything at once. You’re simply choosing a “home base” container and then deciding whether you’d like a small portion reserved for a specialty keepsake.
For many families, that home base is a classic urn—something steady, dignified, and protective. If you’re comparing styles, Funeral.com’s collection of cremation urns for ashes is a helpful starting point. If your pet was small, or if you’re planning to divide ashes among relatives, you may find yourself drawn to small cremation urns or keepsake urns—because “not everything has to be full-size” is sometimes the most emotionally practical truth.
For pet families specifically, Funeral.com’s pet cremation urns collection covers traditional and decorative options, and if your comfort comes from seeing your companion represented in a gentle, familiar form, pet figurine cremation urns can feel less like “a container” and more like a small, intentional tribute. When multiple people want a portion, pet keepsake cremation urns are designed for exactly that—sharing without turning the process into conflict.
If you want a step-by-step way to match an urn to your plan (home, burial, scattering, travel), Funeral.com also has a practical guide here: How to Choose a Cremation Urn That Actually Fits Your Plans.
Turning ashes into diamonds
The idea sounds almost mythic the first time you hear it: cremation ashes into diamonds. But memorial diamonds are a real category of product, created in laboratories using carbon and high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) or similar processes to grow a diamond over time.
What families often misunderstand is how the “input” works. Cremated remains are mostly mineral content; the carbon typically needs to be isolated, purified, and prepared. Some providers also accept hair as a carbon source (or a combination), but the key point is that the process isn’t simply “pour ashes in and get a gem out.” It’s a controlled growth process that takes time, documentation, and careful handling.
What you can usually choose:
- The size (carat weight), which is a major cost driver
- The cut (or, with some providers, a rough/uncut stone)
- The color or shade range offered by that specific company
In terms of cost, memorial diamonds are usually the most expensive of the three options in this article. For example, Algordanza, a Swiss memorial diamond provider, lists prices starting at $2,999 for a 0.30 carat diamond (with cost influenced by size, cut, and the carbon source). Algordanza
What families typically receive at the end is not just a stone. Most reputable providers include certification or documentation describing the characteristics of the diamond, along with packaging designed for gifting or safekeeping. Some families set the diamond into cremation jewelry (a ring or pendant), while others keep it as a standalone heirloom.
The emotional “pro” here is obvious: permanence and symbolism. The “con” is equally real: price and pressure. When grief is fresh, it’s easy to feel like love must equal a large, dramatic gesture. It doesn’t. If the diamond idea feels meaningful but financially heavy, you might decide on a smaller keepsake now and revisit the diamond later—especially since many families keep ashes at home for months or years before making final plans.
Turning ashes into glass art
If diamonds feel too formal (or too costly), glass memorials often strike a different balance: artistic, tactile, and display-friendly. The basic idea is that a small amount of cremated remains is incorporated into molten glass during the creation of a paperweight, orb, heart, pendant, or other object. Some pieces visibly show soft white swirls or “stars” in the glass; other styles are more subtle.
What families can expect from the process:
- You typically send a small portion of ashes (providers vary on amount needed)
- You choose a shape and colors/patterns
- The artist creates the piece, and it’s returned to you as finished art (not something you fill at home)
Pricing varies widely based on complexity, size, and the artist, but it’s often more accessible than diamonds. One memorial glass provider lists pendants starting around $75, 4" hanging orbs at $95, and paperweights starting at $225 (with larger sizes higher). WhiteElks
The emotional strength of glass is that it lives comfortably in daily life. It can sit in sunlight. It can hold color. It can be present without being “loud.” For some families, that makes it easier to integrate grief into the home in a gentle way.
And if what you really want is something wearable, glass can overlap with cremation jewelry too—though it’s important to distinguish two categories:
- Jewelry that contains ashes in a small chamber (urn-style jewelry)
- Jewelry where ashes are infused into material (glass/resin-style memorial jewelry)
Both can be meaningful; they’re simply different experiences.
If you’re exploring wearable options, Funeral.com’s cremation jewelry collection includes classic pieces designed to hold a small portion, and the cremation necklaces collection is a useful starting point if you want an everyday piece you can keep close without constant explanation. For a calm overview before you buy, Funeral.com’s Cremation Jewelry 101 is a supportive read.
Turning ashes into vinyl records
This is the option that often makes people pause—sometimes with curiosity, sometimes with disbelief: vinyl records made from remains.
In practice, it isn’t “100% ashes pressed into a record.” It’s typically a process where a portion of cremated remains is incorporated into the vinyl pressing so the record becomes a physical memorial that also plays audio—music, a voice recording, or a meaningful soundscape. One UK-based company known for this concept is And Vinyly, which describes pressing ashes into a vinyl record as an audiovisual memorial. And Vinyly
Cost will vary by provider, location, and what’s included, but reporting on deathcare startups has cited vinyl memorial records starting around $1.4k. The Hustle (Prices change, so always confirm directly with the vendor.)
This option tends to fit a specific kind of griever: someone who processes emotion through sound, ritual, and replay. A record can become a ceremony you return to on anniversaries, birthdays, or quiet evenings—especially if the audio is intentionally chosen (a playlist you shared with your pet, recordings from your home, even the soft rhythm of familiar routines). It can also be a deeply communal object: something you play with family who may not want ashes displayed, but can handle music.
The caution here is practical: vinyl is meant to be handled, stored carefully, and played on a turntable. If you want “set it and forget it” permanence, glass or a traditional urn may fit better. If you love ritual—placing the needle, hearing the crackle, letting the room fill with memory—this option can be extraordinary.
Pros, cons, and the question that matters most
Families often ask for the “best” option. The truth is that the best memorial is the one that matches how you love and how you grieve.
A diamond tends to feel like legacy—something you protect, pass down, and associate with permanence. Glass tends to feel like presence—light, color, and a visible object that lives in the home. Vinyl tends to feel like relationship—sound, replay, and shared atmosphere.
Budget matters too, and it’s okay to say that out loud. If you’re still navigating how much does cremation cost (and how memorial items fit into that bigger picture), Funeral.com’s guide is a practical place to start: How Much Does Cremation Cost? Average Prices and Budget-Friendly Options. It can help you decide whether a high-end keepsake is realistic right now—or whether your most loving choice is to keep things simple today and revisit the idea later.
One gentle planning tip: if you’re considering any specialty item, keep most ashes in a primary urn first. That gives you time. It also gives you flexibility: you can reserve a small portion later for cremation necklaces, keepsake urns, or art pieces without feeling rushed. If sharing is part of your family dynamic, you may also appreciate this guide on dividing remains thoughtfully: Keepsake Urns and Sharing Urns: When Families Want to Divide Ashes.
Where urns and specialty keepsakes still fit into funeral planning
Even when you choose something as unique as a diamond or a vinyl record, most families still need a practical container for the majority of cremated remains—at least initially. That’s where the traditional categories continue to matter: cremation urns, pet urns, small cremation urns, and keepsake urns aren’t outdated. They’re the structure that makes everything else possible.
They also help you plan ahead. If you think you may eventually scatter or choose water burial, you can plan a “two-step” approach: keep ashes at home in a secure urn now, then hold a scattering or water ceremony later when the timing feels right. If that’s on your mind, Funeral.com’s guide to water burial can help you understand what ceremonies often look like and how biodegradable options fit in: Understanding What Happens During a Water Burial Ceremony.
And if you’re in the early stages of funeral planning—whether for a pet who has just died or a family member you’re preparing to honor—remember that planning doesn’t have to mean rushing. It can mean reducing future pressure: choosing a primary urn now, setting aside a small portion for a specialty keepsake later, and giving yourself permission to decide what “final” looks like when you’re not in the first wave of grief.
