Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community  

Go Back   Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community > Chatter > General Discussion


 
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 10-12-2005, 10:00 PM   #1 (permalink)
Comment or else!!
 
KellyC's Avatar
 
Location: Home sweet home
Turn your dead loved one into diamond

Quote:

This picture released by LifeGem, shows one of their creations: a diamond made from the ashes of cremated remains. LifeGem uses super-hot ovens to transform ashes to graphite and then presses the stone into blue and yellow diamonds that retail for anywhere from 2,700 to 20,000 USD

CHICAGO (AFP) - Everyone said she was a gem. Now, just eight ounces of cremated remains is all it takes to turn your mother into a diamond.


In fact, there's enough carbon in those ashes to make about 20 gems. And there will still be several pounds of ashes left over to display on the mantelpiece.

So far, nobody's ordered more than 11 diamonds, said Dean VandenBiesen, vice president of operations for LifeGem, which uses super-hot ovens to transform ashes to graphite and then presses the stone into blue and yellow diamonds that retail for anywhere from 2,700 to 20,000 dollars.

"It's not for everyone," VandenBiesen admitted, adding that for those who do chose to immortalize their loved ones in jewelry, the experience is extremely positive.

"We have people that approach us who have just experienced a tragedy and they say I can't wait, I'm so excited about this," he said. "In the field of death care, when someone says I'm really excited about this, I think we've achieved what we wanted to do which is change the culture of death."

The success of LifeGem is just one example of a radical shift in the funeral industry, said Mark Musgrove, immediate past president of the National Funeral Directors Association.

Americans are moving away from traditional funerals and are seeking instead less somber occasions that reflect the personality of the deceased.

They are also looking for alternative ways to remember their loved ones.

While a decline in religiosity has contributed to the shift, Musgrove said it's mainly a reflection of a cultural phenomenon.

"Back in the 60's the baby boomers were getting married in scuba gear," he said. "They're getting older and they have the same individualism."

A quick stroll through the exhibition hall of association's annual conference shows just how far the 11-billion dollar US funeral home industry has moved towards "personalization."

Jeff Barrette is leaning on a maroon motorcycle, his leather vest and scull and crossbones bandana a striking change from the dark suits of most of his customers.

Displayed in his booth are urns made out of the engine cylinders of Harley Davidsons and mounted on stands with epitaphs like "Rider's Last Rest," which doubles as the company's name.

"It holds 270 cubic inches -- you could fit a big guy in there," Barrette told a potential customer, before explaining that the urn's carrying case is specially constructed to fit on the back of a bike in case "you want to take your buddy for a ride."

Demand for the 1,350 dollar hand-made urns has been slow, Barrette said, but that's to be expected in a niche market.

Memorial videos and websites, however, are a bustling business, said Joe Joachim, president of funeralOne, who has signed up 1,500 funeral homes in the past five months.

"Our ultimate goal is creating the ultimate funeral experience," Joachim said. "We want to make this a celebration of life and take it to the next level."

FuneralOne offers software that allows funeral homes to help families create videos, burn them onto DVDs and even make personalized brochures and websites. It also offers webcasting services so people who can't make the funeral can watch online.

The two-and-a-half-year-old company has recently partnered with another firm which makes solar-powered video screens that can be mounted on a tombstone and play a 5 to 10 minute tribute.

The 7-inch (18 cm) serenity panels will hit the market in January and Vidstone and chief executive officer Sergio Aguirre said he expects to sell up to 100,000 in the first year.

"Everyone has a story to tell, and what better way than to share it?" he said.
Sorry, I don't have the link for this, found it at another forum and the poster didn't provide one.

Any way. So this idea of turning your loved one to a diamond, does it strike any one else as a bit disrepectful to the deceased? I've always believed that a person should have a dignified death and should be remained that way, be it in bones or ash. Being turned into an accessory...well...it doesn't spell out "respect" for me.

Oh, and would you do this to your deceased loved one??
__________________
Him: Ok, I have to ask, what do you believe?
Me: Shit happens.
KellyC is offline  
Old 10-12-2005, 11:54 PM   #2 (permalink)
Insane
 
5757's Avatar
 
Location: Vegas!!
...

Wow. Hmm. Well. This is mighty strange to me. I'm not so sure about this. I have a loved one who passed recently. He requested the ashes over the ocean deal.
I can't imagine taking his ashes to some buisness and saying "Here. Turn him into a ring"

Yeah. I'm not really feeling this idea. The only way I could do this to a loved one is if they absolutely wanted it. It would have to be planned out long before death.

See I don't even know what I am talking about. This is just too strange. It does seem a little disrespectful. You would think that laying the body to rest would be a better way for closure rather than wearing the person.
__________________
Hey! Wait! I've got a new complaint, Forever in debt to ((your)) priceless advice. - Nirvana
5757 is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 04:46 AM   #3 (permalink)
Psycho
 
veruca's Avatar
 
Location: 4 privet drive
I think it's interesting...but a little creepy. I think it might be kind of cool to have a ring made from your greatgreatgreat grandmother...but then it might not mean to my grand children what it means to me..since 4 generations from now, they will have never have met me...

I will have to ponder it.
__________________
How you turned my world, you precious thing
You starve and near exhaust me
Everything I've done, I've done for you
I move the stars for no one
veruca is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 04:52 AM   #4 (permalink)
big damn hero
 
guthmund's Avatar
 
I wonder if a 'dead... excuse me, LifeGem' is of comparable price to run of the mill regular diamond of the same size? I'd want some sort of discount, I mean, after all, I'm providing the ingredients, right?

In truth, I see no problem with this at all. It's slightly creepier than keeping around the odd knick-knack that reminds you of grandma, but less creepy than keeping her ashes on display on a bookcase somewhere.

Quote:
"Our ultimate goal is creating the ultimate funeral experience," Joachim said. "We want to make this a celebration of life and take it to the next level."
That is the creepiest thing I read in the article. That and the reference to 'death care.'
__________________
No signature. None. Seriously.
guthmund is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 07:11 AM   #5 (permalink)
Junkie
 
That's just fucking creepy, as veruca says...

It's kinda like the stories one hears about people carrying around little vials of ashes or blood...

<SHUDDER>


Mr Mephisto
Mephisto2 is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 07:23 AM   #6 (permalink)
Comedian
 
BigBen's Avatar
 
Location: Use the search button
I now know what I want to have happen to my remains!

Take my ashes, treat them with enough heat and pressure to resemble the Victorian ideal of Hell, and turn me into a diamond.

I would like the diamond to be passed from generation to generation.

Oh, I just thought of something very cool:
Add the "Voodoo Package" onto the price of my LifeGem for the low price of 2995.95$ and fly in an authentic Voodoo priest that will catch my soul and place it in the diamond. Now I can really continue to be with my loved ones! And since Diamonds last forever, my soul will be permanently trapped in this beautiful, stunning piece of haunted jewelry. Will I be a benevolent ghost, granting wishes to whomever wears me? Or will I be spiteful, and curse those unfortunate enough to come into contact with me? Lets wait and see!
__________________
3.141592654
Hey, if you are impressed with my memorizing pi to 10 digits, you should see the size of my penis.
BigBen is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 07:44 AM   #7 (permalink)
Lover - Protector - Teacher
 
Jinn's Avatar
 
Location: Seattle, WA
If my successors have the money laying around, I could honestly care less what they do with my ashes -- but they could at least be fashionable about it!

Honestly, I think it's a neat idea.. your ring finger is the closest to your heart, thought the Greeks. Talk about carrying the memory of the deceased around -- literally.

Turn something useless (ashes) into something pretty? I say sign me up!
__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel
Jinn is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 07:52 AM   #8 (permalink)
Getting it.
 
Charlatan's Avatar
 
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
I like this idea... there are all kinds of people that keep their loved one's ashes in an urn on the mantel... why not turn them into an heirloom?


And how is this *more* disrespectful than say burying ashes in a hole in the ground or launching them into space? It's just another option.
__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke
Charlatan is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 07:56 AM   #9 (permalink)
Banned
 
Zeraph's Avatar
 
Location: The Cosmos
I'd prefer my body be useful when I die, like giving any needed body parts, then placed in some wilderness to return to the soil.
Zeraph is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 08:17 AM   #10 (permalink)
On the lam
 
rsl12's Avatar
 
Location: northern va
In practice, it sounds like a big waste of energy resources. In theory though, I love it! To have your corporeal remains distilled into a lump of beautiful carbon. If you were ugly in life, you can be beautiful in the afterlife.
__________________
oh baby oh baby, i like gravy.
rsl12 is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 11:44 AM   #11 (permalink)
Insane
 
A: "Wow! What a beautiful diamond!"
B: "Why thank you, it's my mom"
A: "Your mom gave you that?"
B: Awkward silence....
__________________
roadrazer - 300kgs, 300hp = pure fun.
Rippley is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 12:37 PM   #12 (permalink)
Insane
 
fightnight's Avatar
 
Location: The lovely Northeast
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rippley
A: "Wow! What a beautiful diamond!"
B: "Why thank you, it's my mom"
A: "Your mom gave you that?"
B: Awkward silence....

HAHA awesome.
fightnight is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 01:17 PM   #13 (permalink)
Junkie
 
Stiltzkin's Avatar
 
Holy crap this kicks ass. Going to give serious thought into doing this, unless it becomes outlawed for one reason or another by the time I finally expire >.>
Stiltzkin is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 01:49 PM   #15 (permalink)
Getting it.
 
Charlatan's Avatar
 
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
How much weight would I have to pack on to leave myself as something the size of the Hope Diamond?
__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke
Charlatan is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 01:53 PM   #16 (permalink)
Devoted
 
Redlemon's Avatar
 
Donor
Location: New England
Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlatan
How much weight would I have to pack on to leave myself as something the size of the Hope Diamond?
"LifeGem needs just eight ounces of those precious ashes to transform a loved one into a diamond. Actually, enough carbon is present to make quite a few gems -- maybe 20 -- with several pounds of ashes left over to scatter to the winds" according to Wired. This was news back in 2002... Wired News: Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Diamonds
__________________
I can't read your signature. Sorry.
Redlemon is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 03:08 PM   #17 (permalink)
Apocalypse Nerd
 
Astrocloud's Avatar
 
We should turn dead celebrities into jewelry and then auction them off on ebay.


"Hey I got Ice-T as my ice"
Astrocloud is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 03:14 PM   #18 (permalink)
Poo-tee-weet?
 
JStrider's Avatar
 
Location: The Woodlands, TX
woah... can you say 3rd life... from human to tree... like the pequeninos
__________________
-=JStrider=-

~Clatto Verata Nicto
JStrider is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 03:50 PM   #19 (permalink)
Registered User
 
Snopes lists this as Undetermined validity
lindalove is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 04:22 PM   #20 (permalink)
Junkie
 
I think a diamond might be a bit more respectable than a frisbee.

http://www.discgolfassoc.com/printer...1yearmemp.html

But hey, it's his wishes.
FngKestrel is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 08:32 PM   #21 (permalink)
Free Mars!
 
feelgood's Avatar
 
Location: I dunno, there's white people around me saying "eh" all the time
Wasn't this story out last year?

Plus, imagine how funny it would be to piss off your recently decreased wife by turning her body into a diamond ring and use it to propose to your new girlfriend
__________________
Looking out the window, that's an act of war. Staring at my shoes, that's an act of war. Committing an act of war? Oh you better believe that's an act of war
feelgood is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 08:59 PM   #22 (permalink)
Crazy
 
Ive got a dead cat that was cremated, if I could get a sweet ring for it......
__________________
Just remember this my friend, when you look up at the sky, you can see the stars and still not see the light..
jt6879 is offline  
Old 10-13-2005, 09:22 PM   #23 (permalink)
Tilted
 
I can see all the rappers now wearing dead relatives as their new Bling-Bling.
Ganggreen is offline  
Old 10-14-2005, 12:31 PM   #24 (permalink)
Smithers, release the hounds
 
ironman's Avatar
 
Location: Guatemala, Guatemala
For those of you thinkig of making a business out of your gramp's ashes, take a look at these prices http://www.lifegem.com/secondary/LGPrices2006.aspx
__________________
If I agreed with you weŽd both be wrong
ironman is offline  
Old 10-15-2005, 05:30 PM   #25 (permalink)
Registered User
 
Location: Deep South Texas
I can see it now "whats that one piece that is stick straight up"??

it happens every morning---
viejo gringo is offline  
Old 10-16-2005, 10:26 AM   #26 (permalink)
I'm baaaaack!
 
I think it is neat. I was very near and dear to my grandfather, and he was very near and dear to me. He was buried when he passed. Honestly, I have not been to visit the site. I don't feel like I am close to him when I visit his body that is buried six feet under. It seems impersonal and uncomfortable.

If he had been turned into ashes, I would also feel uncomfortable with them displayed on my mantel. Turning them into a gem would be a wonderful token to have him remembered by. It could be a family heirloom, whether or not the people four generations down the line had met him or not. Either that, or I could be buried wearing it. I think it is better than having your body decompose in the bellies of bugs.

And as for me, I think that when the time comes what happens with my body when I am deceased will be the least of my worries. It isn't how the body is kept, but how the memories are kept that matters to me. As long as my family members will remember me with kindness and love, I will know that my memorial is a good one.

Your body is just that- your body. I happen to believe that the things that make me who I am and what people will remember me for have nothing to do with the bones and muscles and skin and other things that hold me together.

However, I would give up all usable organs before agreeing to anything- I won't need them anymore.
__________________
You don't know from fun.
Rubyee is offline  
Old 10-19-2005, 11:21 AM   #27 (permalink)
Junkie
 
-Ever-'s Avatar
 
Location: San Francisco
I think it's kind of a cool idea, as long as there were strict rules to regulate making sure my new ring wasn't composed of someone else's ashes oO
__________________
Embracing the goddess energy within yourselves will bring all of you to a new understanding and valuing of life. A vision that inspires you to live and love on planet Earth. Like a priceless jewel buried in dark layers of soil and stone, Earth radiates her brilliant beauty into the caverns of space and time. Perhaps you are aware of those who watch over your home And experience of this place to visit and play with reality. You are becoming aware of yourself as a gamemaster...
--Acknowledge your weaknesses--
-Ever- is offline  
 

Tags
dead, diamond, loved, turn

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:13 AM.

Tilted Forum Project

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
© 2002-2012 Tilted Forum Project

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360