Everything you need to know about Silmaril memorial diamonds — from how they're made, to what they cost, to how they arrive at your door.
A memorial diamond is a genuine lab-grown diamond made using carbon extracted from a person's or pet's hair. The carbon is purified, converted into graphite and grown around a diamond seed using HPHT technology. The finished stone has the same diamond crystal structure and core physical, chemical and optical properties as a mined stone.
Yes. THE SILMARIL is based in Long Bay, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand. Founded in 2024, we serve customers nationwide via postal service. Being NZ-based means customers have local support, managed China lab logistics, NZ delivery, and transparent pricing designed to be more accessible than many international options.
Silmaril accepts human hair and suitable pet fur, hair or wool from dogs, cats, horses, sheep, rabbits, and other animals. We do not process cremation ashes or bone ash — these contain too many impurities and insufficient usable carbon for the HPHT process. Hair or suitable animal fibre is our accepted material.
Three key differences: (1) Location — we are Auckland-based, so your sample is tracked by Life-ID throughout the process. (2) Price — 18K necklaces from NZ$3,850, with transparent NZ pricing and local support. (3) Access — you can speak directly with the team at any time during the process.
No. Silmaril works exclusively with hair — human or pet. Cremation ashes and bone ash are not accepted. Ashes contain too many mineral impurities and have insufficient usable carbon for the HPHT diamond growth process. If you have seen older search results or cached pages describing us as an "ashes to diamonds" service, that information is outdated. We are a hair-to-diamond specialist only. For a full explanation of the science — and guidance on what to do if your loved one was cremated — see our dedicated page: Ashes to Diamond NZ — What You Need to Know.
Yes. Email [email protected] or contact the founder at [email protected]. There is no obligation, and we are happy to answer any questions at your pace before you commit to an order.
Silmaril recommends approximately 10 grams of clean, dry human hair. For pet fur, we recommend approximately 20 grams where available to provide processing margin. The laboratory's technical requirement may be lower depending on sample condition and target carat. Any returnable unused material is sent back with the finished piece.
Any hair or animal fibre containing keratin: human head, beard, or body hair, or suitable fur, mane, tail hair, wool or fleece from dogs, cats, horses, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other pets. Saved or aged hair is equally suitable — it does not need to be freshly cut.
Yes. Hair stored for years — in an envelope, a locket, or a memento box — is perfectly suitable. Carbon does not degrade in stored hair. Many customers use hair kept from a loved one who passed away some time ago.
No. Our One Guest, One Chamber protocol means each diamond is grown from a single individual's material only. This ensures the integrity and traceability of every stone. A separate order is required for each person or pet you wish to honour.
Any hair remaining after the carbon extraction stage is carefully packaged and returned to you alongside the finished memorial diamond.
Seven stages: (1) sample collection and Life-ID intake; (2) carbon extraction; (3) purification to at least 99.95%; (4) conversion into crystalline graphite; (5) HPHT growth; (6) cutting, polishing and 4C grading; and (7) jewellery setting and insured delivery.
High Pressure High Temperature. A typical growth cell operates at approximately 5.5 GPa and 1,450°C. Bio-carbon graphite dissolves in a metal catalyst and crystallises around a diamond seed over roughly 35–50 days. The result is a genuine lab-grown diamond, not a simulant.
Diamond production is approximately 60 days from laboratory sample receipt to finished diamond. Silmaril's customer delivery estimate is approximately 100 days from receipt of a suitable sample to delivery of the finished jewellery. Customs or carrier delays may extend this estimate.
It means each HPHT growth chamber contains material from only one individual — human or pet. Your loved one's carbon is never mixed with another customer's material. Each sample is assigned a unique biological Life-ID when received by Silmaril and tracked through every stage of the process.
A unique biological identifier assigned to each hair sample when it is received by Silmaril. It ensures full traceability from intake to delivery — your sample can be positively identified at every stage of the process.
Three layers of assurance: (1) One Guest, One Chamber — your material occupies its own dedicated HPHT growth chamber, never shared. (2) Life-ID tagging — your sample carries a unique identifier from the moment it is received by Silmaril through every transfer and handover. (3) Photo and video documentation — sample collection, intake, shipping handover, carbon purification, crystal growth, cutting, setting, and dispatch are documented where available and tagged to your Life-ID. This creates a visual chain of custody for your diamond and helps substantiate that it is grown from your submitted hair sample.
Yes. It is carbon arranged in a cubic diamond crystal lattice, not cubic zirconia or moissanite. It tests as diamond using standard gemological tests; specialised equipment can identify its laboratory-grown origin. GIA or IGI certification can be arranged on request.
We target VS clarity or better and E–H colour. VVS can occur, but every crystal grows individually and the final carat, colour and clarity are confirmed only after cutting and 4C grading.
Yes. Your evidence pack includes the available Life-ID-tagged photo and milestone video records for sample intake, shipping handover, carbon extraction and purification, graphitization, HPHT growth milestones, cutting, setting, and dispatch. Because growth takes place in a sealed high-pressure cell, this is not uninterrupted filming inside the chamber; it is a documented visual chain of custody for the available stages.
Your submitted pet hair is the only customer biological material and the only Life-ID-tracked biological carbon source for your order. It is processed separately and never mixed with another customer's material. An HPHT growth cell also uses a diamond seed and metal catalyst: the seed starts the crystal growth and is not another customer's material. To remain scientifically accurate, we do not claim that every carbon atom in the finished crystal can be individually traced to hair alone.
Every order receives a Life-ID — a unique biological identifier assigned to your sample when received by Silmaril. Available photos and milestone video records are tagged to it, creating a visual chain of custody. Optional GIA or IGI gemological grading documents the finished stone's reported 4Cs and laboratory-grown identification; it does not replace the Life-ID evidence that tracks your submitted sample.
Yes. Every diamond includes an ILDA or CCIC traceability certificate. IGI or GIA grading is a paid optional upgrade; ask us before production or cutting so we can confirm current cost and timing. The report documents the finished stone's reported carat, colour, clarity, cut, and laboratory-grown identification.
Yes. Our memorial diamonds are grown by direct HPHT crystal synthesis from hair-derived graphite, not presented as CVD diamonds that have received HPHT post-growth treatment. The diamond grows as one continuous crystal on a diamond seed. An optional IGI or GIA report can provide independent documentation of the finished stone's laboratory-grown identification and any growth-method or treatment information included in that report.
The Guardian — 1.0ct in a dangling horseshoe pendant, NZ$4,950. The Warmth — 0.5ct in an integrated horseshoe pendant, NZ$3,850. Each is available in 18K white or yellow gold. Loose diamonds are NZ$2,999 for 0.5ct and NZ$3,700 for 1.0ct; 1.5ct and 2.0ct are available by email enquiry.
Yes. Loose memorial diamonds are NZ$2,999 for 0.5ct and NZ$3,700 for 1.0ct. For 1.5ct or 2.0ct, email us for current pricing and timing. Each is round brilliant cut, E-H colour, VS clarity, delivered in a velvet presentation box with its ILDA or CCIC traceability certificate. See loose diamond details.
Currently we offer two signature designs. For bespoke setting enquiries, email [email protected] — we are happy to discuss what may be possible.
The Warmth features a 0.5ct stone (~5.0mm) and The Guardian a 1.0ct stone (~6.5mm) — substantial, visible diamonds that hold strong presence in any setting. Loose diamonds are available up to 2.0ct.
Both designs feature an 18K solid gold chain weighing 2.7g, in your choice of white or yellow gold. Both are genuine 18-karat gold — not gold-plated.
18K gold contains 75% pure gold. 14K gold contains about 58.5%. At the same finished weight, an 18K setting contains approximately 28.2% more pure gold than a 14K setting, giving our 18K white gold and 18K yellow gold jewellery a higher precious-metal content and material cost base than common 14K settings.
For reference, each design's 2.7g 18K gold chain contains about 2.03g of pure gold. A same-weight 14K chain would contain about 1.58g — roughly 28.2% less pure gold.
The Warmth: NZ$3,850 (0.5ct). The Guardian: NZ$4,950 (1.0ct). Loose diamonds: 0.5ct NZ$2,999 and 1.0ct NZ$3,700; email us for 1.5ct or 2.0ct. See our pricing page for full details.
Yes — everything is included. The listed necklace price covers the full HPHT creation process, the lab-grown diamond (0.5ct or 1.0ct by design), the complete 18K gold pendant and chain, an ILDA or CCIC traceability certificate, insured courier return delivery, and return of any unused hair. GIA or IGI certification is the only optional extra, available on request.
Regular lab-grown diamonds are mass-produced in large batches from standard graphite, spreading the production cost across many stones. A memorial diamond is made one at a time: carbon is extracted and purified from your loved one's hair, and an entire HPHT growth chamber is dedicated to that single sample for the full growth cycle — One Guest, One Chamber — with Life-ID tracking and traceability certification. You are not paying for a generic stone; you are paying for a diamond grown from one irreplaceable source of carbon. A mass-produced diamond can be replaced. This one cannot.
No. The listed price is fully all-inclusive for NZ customers. The only optional extra is gemological certification. Contact [email protected] for current certification pricing.
All prices are in New Zealand dollars.
We are a NZ-based service. By managing the order from New Zealand and working directly with specialist lab partners in China, Silmaril keeps pricing transparent for NZ customers. International provider prices vary by currency, shipping, setting and certification choices, so compare current like-for-like offers before ordering.
Securely online via Stripe — any major credit or debit card. You can also enquire by email before paying. There is no obligation to commit before you are ready.
Full payment is made at the time of ordering. If you have questions about payment arrangements, email [email protected] before placing your order.
Given the bespoke, irreversible nature of the process, refunds cannot be provided once diamond creation has begun. If you have concerns, contact us as early as possible at [email protected] and the team will do its best to find a resolution.
Yes. Every diamond is delivered with a traceability certificate from the International Life Diamond Association (ILDA) or CCIC (China Certification & Inspection Group) at no extra cost — independent documentation that your diamond was grown from your submitted sample. In addition, GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and IGI (International Gemological Institute) grading reports are available on request at an additional cost, documenting the stone's carat weight, colour, clarity, and cut to international gemological standards.
Certification pricing varies with current laboratory fees. Contact us for current pricing — it can be arranged before or after your order is placed.
An ILDA or CCIC traceability certificate is included with every diamond, so you always receive independent documentation of origin. GIA or IGI grading is optional — many customers choose it for peace of mind or to document the stone's quality for insurance purposes. The diamond is a real diamond regardless of which certificates it carries.
Yes — all of New Zealand. You send your prepared hair sample by post, and we return the finished jewellery by insured courier. You never need to visit us in person.
Yes. The finished piece is returned by insured courier at no additional charge, regardless of your location within New Zealand.
By insured courier to your New Zealand address. The piece is packaged securely alongside any unused hair.
Yes. Silmaril does not share, sell, or retain personal or payment data beyond what is required to process your order. Payment is handled by Stripe, which does not store card details with Silmaril.
Order directly at silmaril.co.nz/#collection, or email [email protected] with any questions first. Once your order is confirmed, we provide sample preparation and posting instructions.
Yes. Silmaril serves customers throughout New Zealand and transforms suitable pet fur, hair or wool — dogs, cats, horses, sheep, rabbits, and other animals — into lab-grown memorial diamonds. The order is managed from New Zealand, while HPHT growth is completed by specialist lab partners in China. See our pet memorial diamonds page for full details.
Any animal with suitable fur, hair, mane, tail hair, wool or fleece containing keratin. Dogs, cats, horses, sheep, and rabbits are common examples. Contact us if you're unsure whether your specific pet's sample is suitable — we'll advise promptly.
Yes. Fur saved before or after your pet's passing works equally well. Grooming clippings, fur from a brush, or locks kept by a vet are all accepted.
No. The price is the same regardless of species — The Warmth at NZ$3,850 and The Guardian at NZ$4,950 for any pet.
No. The One Guest, One Chamber protocol applies to every order. Each diamond is grown from a single individual's material only. A separate order is required for each pet.
We're happy to answer anything — no obligation, no pressure.
Email Us View Pricing