About Memorial Jewellery

Memorial Jewellery is jewellery which has been created for the purpose of holding a small amount of cremation ash, a lock of hair or other small memorials to wear in memory of a departed loved one.  It is also referred to as cremation jewellery or keepsake jewellery.

These beautiful designs in silver and gold open by either unscrewing the top of the pendant or by opening a small screw.  They are mainly worn as urn necklaces but are also very popular in memorial bracelet designs.

Memorial Jewellery pieces are actually miniature keepsake urns and are made to the same exacting standards as funeral home cremation urns to safely and securely hold ashes secretly inside.

The History of Memorial Jewelry

The idea of memorial jewelry, also known as cremation jewelry or keepsake jewelry, was developed by Madelyn Company in the USA more than 15 years ago.  Although the idea has been imitated around the world, Madelyn Keepsake Pendants remain the benchmark for the highest quality cremation jewelry worldwide. 

What makes Madelyn Keepsake Pendants even more special is the inspirational story behind the name.

Over 15 years ago Lisa Saxer Buros (Wisconsin, USA) embarked on a very personal journey following the passing of her Mother, Madelyn.  She wanted to feel closer to her beloved Mother so together with friend, Joni Cullen, she designed a very precious and unique piece of jewelry.

Here is how Lisa and Joni describe the inspiration behind their jewelry:

In March of 1992, our family lost a wonderful, spirited friend and mother. Her views on life were inspirational: 'Love the moment' and 'Death is the greatest adventure of all.'

Still, in the months that followed, we sought another source of comfort and strength. From Madelyn Saxer's zest for living and her ability to embrace death, the concept of the Keepsake Pendant was born. A symbol of continuing love ... a reassuring remembrance to keep close to one's heart.

In creating our pendant line, we had a simple purpose: to enable others to cope more easily, to hold a source of comfort in their hands and to find peace in their hearts.

Our Keepsake Pendants bring memories to an even more personal level by holding a small portion of cremated remains, a lock of hair or dried ceremonial flowers. The pendants may be worn or displayed in a glass dome.

The opportunity to choose a Keepsake Pendant presents itself only once - the comfort a Keepsake Pendant offers, lasts a lifetime.

Lisa Saxer Buros
Joni G Cullen
Janesville, USA

Urns Online stock a wide variety of genuine Madelyn Co. memorial jewelry made in the USA.  We also stock other designs and all of our pendants come complete with free matching chains and complete instructions on how to fill your memorial jewelry as well as how to care for it.

Memorial Jewellery Filling Instructions

We recommend that you follow these instructions carefully to ensure the best result from filling your pendant.  These instructions are provided with every order of Memorial Jewellery so you will receive a copy with your pendant or bracelet.

Pendants or bracelets with a screw opening require extra care to ensure that the screwdriver does not scratch the surface of the jewellery. The screw is designed to sit flush with the pendant.  Please ensure that you have the correct sized screwdriver for the screw.

1. For ease of filling it is best to remove the pendant from the chain before filling.

2. Unscrew the opening of your pendant either by hand (for screw top bail), or with a small screwdriver (for screw openings).  If you have a pendant with a screw top bail which is on tightly then you can use an opened paperclip (or other thin object) through the FIXED loop to gently lever it open.

3. Place the end of the funnel provided into the opening and carefully spoon a small amount of only the finest ashes into the funnel. You may need to stir the ashes around in the funnel with a toothpick or similar to allow them to go through. If the funnel becomes clogged remove it from the pendant, turn upside down and clear with the toothpick. Once cleared resume filling again. The pendant should only be filled to about 90% of capacity.

4. After filling, remove the funnel and clear cremains from the opening with a toothpick. Clear the threads by taking cap on and off, or putting screw in and out, a couple of times.

NB: At this stage if you just replace the screw, or twist the top back on, your jewellery urn will be safely secured but not resistant to water. You will need to use jewellers epoxy to ensure that the cremation jewellery remains properly sealed and can withstand short periods of contact with water.

5. To secure and seal the pendant to withstand short periods in contact with water we recommend using a small amount of jewellers epoxy on the threads before screwing back together.  Most hardware stores will have an epoxy suitable for this. It is best to use an epoxy that takes a few minutes to set as you may need to adjust the alignment. (we do not recommend using superglue.) Please ensure that the threads are as clean as possible to ensure adhesion. Using a toothpick or similar, apply a very small amount to the inside of the threaded opening and carefully screw shut. This will secure the pendant and ensure that it remains sealed. Note: Some pendants may have to be left loose a quarter turn to have the loop line up properly however this is not a concern as the epoxy will seal the opening.