Place your order and immediately receive mailing instructions for sending your inclusion(s).
Send us a small amount of your chosen inclusion or a combination of materials such as ashes, flowers, hair, fur or fabric. Anything unused will be returned to you.
Receive your handcrafted memorial jewelry within 6–8 weeks.
Enjoy wearing your memorial jewelry, covered by a Lifetime Warranty, knowing you’re among 10,000+ happy customers.
Choosing a necklace that holds ashes is both a practical decision and a deeply personal one. Many families are looking for something secure, comfortable, and beautiful, but the words used online can be confusing. Lockets, urn pendants, capsule vials, cremation pendants, and ashes necklaces are sometimes used interchangeably, even though they are not all built the same way.
The simple answer is this: all three styles are cremation necklaces designed to hold a small, symbolic amount of ashes, but they differ in how they open, how they seal, what they can hold, and how visible or private the memorial feels. Ashes can be incorporated through resin or glass-style settings or encased within hollow jewelry depending on the design.
Choose a locket if you want a visual keepsake, such as a photo, lock of hair, or small memento alongside the ashes. Lockets often feel classic, sentimental, and easy to personalize.
Choose an urn pendant if you want a discreet, secure necklace that looks like ordinary jewelry while holding a small amount of ashes inside. These are often chosen for everyday wear because they are simple, personal, and private.
Choose a capsule vial necklace if you prefer a slim, modern, minimalist design. Capsule vials usually have a small tube-shaped chamber and are often chosen by people who want something subtle and understated.
There is no right or wrong option. The right piece is the one the wearer will actually feel comfortable keeping close.
A necklace that holds ashes is not meant to hold all of a loved one’s cremated remains. It usually holds a very small portion, often a pinch or fraction of a teaspoon. Memorials.com notes that cremation jewelry is designed to hold or incorporate a small portion of cremated remains, hair, or another personal memento, while Dignity Memorial also explains that because each piece uses only a small amount of ashes, multiple family members can each have a keepsake.
That small capacity is intentional. It keeps the piece lightweight, wearable, and discreet while allowing the rest of the ashes to remain in an urn, keepsake box, scattering vessel, burial place, or another memorial location.
Many cremation necklaces can also hold more than ashes. Tulip Cremation explains that memorial jewelry may contain ashes, a lock of hair, dried flowers, soil, or a small piece of clothing. We also accept inclusions such as ashes, flowers, hair, fur, fabric, sand, soil, and breastmilk for many pieces.
A locket opens on a hinge, usually revealing a small interior space. Traditional lockets often hold a photo, but memorial lockets may also hold a lock of hair, a small piece of fabric, dried flower petals, or a tiny sealed ash inclusion.
Lockets are often chosen by families who want the keepsake to feel visual. A photo of a parent, spouse, child, friend, or pet can make the piece feel immediately personal. A small lock of hair or folded fabric can add another layer of connection.
The trade-off is that lockets may not feel as tightly sealed as screw-sealed urn pendants. For that reason, a locket is often a better fit for hair, photos, fabric, or professionally sealed inserts rather than loose ashes placed directly inside. Tulip Cremation describes locket necklaces as a popular cremation jewelry style because they can carry a photo along with ashes or hair.
A locket may be right for someone who wants:
An urn pendant is usually a solid pendant with a small hollow chamber inside. Most are filled through a small threaded opening, then sealed. Once closed, the pendant looks like ordinary jewelry.
This is one of the most common styles for people who want to carry ashes privately. The pendant may be a heart, cross, teardrop, bar, circle, cylinder, or another meaningful shape. To others, it may simply look like a necklace. To the wearer, it holds something deeply personal.
Urn pendants are especially helpful when the wearer wants the ashes enclosed and hidden. Memorials.com explains that fillable cremation jewelry often comes with a funnel, filling sticks, and adhesive so the opening can be sealed after the ashes are placed inside.
An urn pendant may be right for someone who wants:
A capsule vial necklace is a slim tube-style pendant designed to hold a tiny amount of ashes or another inclusion. Some are cylindrical, while others may be shaped like small bars or elongated charms.
Capsule vials often feel more modern than traditional lockets or ornate urn pendants. They are usually simple, clean, and subtle. For someone who prefers minimalist jewelry, this can be a comforting option because the piece does not call attention to itself.
The main limitation is size. Capsule vials are intentionally small, so they usually hold only a symbolic amount. That can be enough for many families, especially when the goal is not to store a large quantity of ashes but to keep a small part of a loved one close.
A capsule vial may be right for someone who wants:
Most cremation necklaces hold only a small amount of ashes. Depending on the design, that may be a pinch, a fraction of a teaspoon, or slightly more. The exact amount varies by piece.
This is usually enough. A cremation necklace is not meant to replace an urn or hold all of the cremated remains. It is meant to hold a symbolic portion that can be worn close to the heart. A small measured amount is typically enough for most pieces, while its FAQ says customers can send a small amount of their chosen inclusion and that unused material is returned.
Because each piece requires so little, one set of ashes can often be used for multiple family members. One person may choose a ring, another may choose a necklace, and another may prefer a bracelet or charm.
For loose ashes, a screw-sealed urn pendant is often the most secure of the three styles because it is designed as a small enclosed vessel. Capsule vials can also be secure when properly filled and sealed, though their slim shape may make them more delicate depending on the design.
Lockets are meaningful, but because they open on a hinge, they are usually better suited for photos, hair, fabric, flowers, or a sealed insert rather than loose ashes. That does not make lockets less meaningful. It simply means they serve a slightly different purpose.
Whichever style you choose, look for clear information about how the piece is filled, sealed, and cared for. Ours memorial jewelry is handcrafted, typically takes 6–8 weeks once inclusions are received, and is backed by a Lifetime Warranty.
Ashes are only one option. Many families choose a combination of materials that tell a fuller story.
Common inclusions include:
These alternatives can be especially meaningful when ashes are not available, when a family chose burial instead of cremation, or when the wearer wants to combine several memories in one piece. Most pieces can be made with ashes, flower petals, sand, soil, breastmilk, hair or fur, and cloth.
Start with how the piece will be worn.
For daily wear, a simple urn pendant or capsule vial may feel easiest. These styles are usually discreet and can be worn with everyday clothing. For someone who works with their hands, a necklace may be more practical than a ring because it is less likely to be bumped, scratched, or exposed to water and chemicals.
For someone who wants a visible memory, a locket may feel more personal. Being able to open the necklace and see a photo, hair, or other small keepsake can be comforting.
For someone who prefers privacy, an urn pendant or capsule vial may be the better choice. These pieces do not need to announce what they hold. They can simply be worn as jewelry.
Also consider whether the piece should be engraved. A name, date, initials, short phrase, or meaningful word can make even a simple necklace feel deeply personal.
A memorial necklace is meant to last, but it still needs gentle care. Memorials.com recommends removing cremation jewelry before swimming, showering, or sleeping whenever possible because repeated exposure to water, soaps, chlorine, and other substances can wear on metal or affect seals.
We recommend that jewelry be removed before showering, swimming, or cleaning, and that the stone not be submerged in jewelry cleaner.
A few simple habits can help protect the piece:
Lockets, urn pendants, and capsule vials can all be meaningful necklaces that hold ashes, but each one serves a slightly different purpose.
A locket is best for someone who wants a photo, hair, fabric, or visible keepsake. An urn pendant is often best for someone who wants a secure, discreet piece that can hold a small amount of ashes. A capsule vial is best for someone who prefers a slim, minimalist design.
All three hold only a small symbolic amount by design. The rest of the ashes can remain with the family, and a single set of ashes can often be used to create multiple pieces. The most meaningful choice is not necessarily the most elaborate one. It is the piece the wearer will reach for, wear, and feel comforted by over time.
A locket opens on a hinge and often holds a photo, hair, fabric, or small keepsake. An urn necklace usually has a small sealed chamber designed to hold a symbolic amount of ashes.
Most cremation necklaces hold only a very small amount, often a pinch or fraction of a teaspoon. The exact amount depends on the design.
Some memorial jewelry is described as waterproof or water-resistant, but it is still wise to remove it before showering, swimming, cleaning, or exposing it to harsh chemicals. This helps protect the metal, stone, and seal over time.
Some lockets can hold a photo and a small memorial inclusion, but loose ashes may be better suited to a sealed urn pendant or professionally sealed insert. Always check the specific design before ordering.
A screw-sealed urn pendant is often the most secure option for loose ashes. Lockets are often better for photos, hair, fabric, flowers, or sealed inserts.
Yes. Many memorial necklaces can include hair, fur, flowers, fabric, sand, soil, or other small meaningful inclusions, depending on the design and jeweler.
This article used our own knowledge, Memorials.com’s cremation jewelry guide, and Dignity Memorial’s cremation jewelry and keepsakes guide.