Feeling an entire range of emotions when someone passes simultaneously is perfectly normal. When a loved one requests cremation, and your heart longs to hold them or feel them with you again, many turn to cremation jewelry to always have a tangible memento of someone so significant to their lives to carry with them wherever they go—yet those new to cremation jewelry may have many questions about the jewelry. It is expected to have questions about cremation jewelry, wondering about any Dos and Don'ts, or if there is any etiquette.
Today, we hope to answer some of your questions about these meaningful pieces.
Don't: Wearing Your Cremation Jewelry All The Time
Knowing how precious and how deep the personal connection you may have with the loved one who has passed away and the jewelry you choose—no doubt you would wish for a resounding yes, you can wear your cremation jewelry 24-7. Unfortunately, there are times when you should avoid wearing your cremation jewelry to protect it and keep it from damage.
There are times when you should remove your jewelry and place it somewhere safe, and in most cases, the jewelry should be the last thing you put on in the morning and the last thing you take off—but many of us may be unaware of that rule.
Don't wear cremation jewelry when you are:
- Putting on lotion
- Use an Iron, hairspray, or hair products when doing your hair
- Doing your makeup
- Before you get dressed
You will want to avoid these because makeup, hairspray, and lotion all have ingredients that can not only dull the lustrous beauty of your cremation jewelry but can harm it. If you put your jewelry on before you dress for the day, say, trying to put on a tight-fitting top, it can easily knock out an earring, get caught on the chain of a necklace, or catch a bracelet.
Don't: Put On Your Jewelry Leaning Over The Sink
Some of you may be nodding sadly as you read this header, remembering lost earrings or pins, even bracelets, that may have been lost forever. Avoid putting your cremation jewelry on or off while over a sink to avoid a disastrous and heartbreaking ending.
Don't: Store Your Cremation Jewelry Near or In The Bathroom
While it may feel convenient to store your favorite pieces of jewelry and cremation jewelry in the bathroom where you get ready for the day, we strongly discourage doing so. Chlorine and water moisture can cause materials to tarnish, begin to erode, and damage precious metals or stones. If you leave your jewelry in the open, such as hanging from a jewelry rack in the bathroom, the moisture will cause metals prone to tarnishing to tarnish even faster.
Don't: Store Your Jewelry Out In The Open
While jewelry stands, trees, and hanging jewelry organizers that hang on the wall or sit on a dresser may look aesthetically pleasing and more organized, leaving your jewelry out in the open or piled on top of each other at the end of the day will likely scratch pieces or damage them. Also, overexposure to oxygen can begin to tarnish certain metals faster.
Additionally, there is a chance that when leaving your jewelry out in the open, they are exposed to sunshine. The sun can fade specific stones and beads, which can be another heartbreaking lesson to learn about particular pieces and sunlight.
Don't: Wear Your Jewelry While Swimming, Bathing or Showering
Showering or bathing while wearing your cremation jewelry has been a years-long topic of debate. Some may tell you they have had no problem wearing them; on the other hand, others will swear they will never let their precious pieces touch water. Why is it important not to wear your jewelry when in the water?
Constant exposure to the chemicals in our water can begin to dull these precious pieces, causing them to tarnish quickly, and that does not account for the harsh chemicals found in shampoo, conditioner, body washes, and soaps.
If your cremation pieces include precious or semi-precious stones, removing them before swimming, bathing, or showering is essential. This is because the chemicals in pools or waters can erode and fade the stone's beautiful colors and erode the glue and settings that hold the gemstones in place, which can ultimately lead to the complete loss of the stone.
Cremation Jewelry Dos:
When wearing your cremation jewelry, Do:
- Put on your jewelry after showering or bathing, and put on lotion, perfume, makeup, and clothes.
- Put on or take off your jewelry and store it in a storage container away from the sun, away from the bathroom, and in a jewelry storage container that can be closed. Containers you can use if you do not already include a jewelry cabinet, jewelry safe, standing jewelry box, jewelry case, jewelry armoire, or an antique jewelry box, depending on your tastes and budget.
- Take off jewelry before going to sleep at night.
- Remove and safely store your cremation jewelry before sports, running, yoga, exercise, or weight lifting. The sweat from your body may speed the corrosion of your jewelry, make it easier to slip off, or worse, be accidentally crushed or bent with the amount of physical contact it has with you or exercise machines.
- Leave your jewelry at home when heading to the beach or pool or in a safe.
- If you are going shopping for clothing and trying on many clothes, leave your cremation jewelry at home so you do not have to deal with jewelry that gets tangled in, breaks, or is knocked off while changing clothes.
Is It Considered Unusual to Wear Cremation Jewelry?
Absolutely not. What you wear and how you wear is for your reasons and needs. Many people have many different means of expressing their grief and finding healing on their journey, and if you find solace and comfort in the act of wearing your cremation jewelry, it is valid. Losing a loved one is a terrible thing to experience, and healing will take incredible strength and bravery. Taking comfort in cremation jewelry means having a part of a loved one close by and is a tangible way to honor a beloved person's memory. Wear your cremation jewelry daily with these Do's and Don't to help you preserve and protect your most precious pieces.