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 — from NZ$2,650, 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you have seen older search results or cached pages describing us as an "ashes to diamonds" service, that information is outdated.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 80 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 D–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.
HPHT growth is completed by specialist lab partners in China, and laboratory tours are not available. Instead, your order can include Life-ID-tagged photo and video milestone records across sample collection, handover, growth, cutting, setting, and dispatch. We are always available at [email protected] to answer questions about your order's progress.
The diamond is grown from carbon extracted from your loved one's hair. Because hair-derived carbon is the sole source material in each chamber, no external or synthetic carbon is needed or added. The resulting stone carries the literal molecular building blocks of your loved one's life. This is what distinguishes a memorial diamond from a standard lab-grown diamond.
Every order receives a Life-ID — a unique biological identifier assigned to your sample when received by Silmaril, tracking it through every stage of the process. In addition, key production stages are documented with photos and milestone video where available, then tagged to your Life-ID — sample collection, intake, shipping handover, carbon purification, crystal growth, cutting, setting, and dispatch — creating a visual chain of custody. Optional GIA or IGI gemological certification documents the stone's carat, colour, clarity, and cut. Contact us for certification pricing.
The Guardian — 0.57ct in a dangling 18K white gold horseshoe pendant, NZ$3,280. The Warmth — 0.57ct in an integrated 18K yellow gold horseshoe pendant, NZ$2,650. Both feature a horseshoe motif as a symbol of ongoing protection and connection.
Currently we offer two signature designs. For bespoke setting enquiries, email [email protected] — we are happy to discuss what may be possible.
Both current designs feature a 0.57ct stone — a substantial, visible diamond that holds strong presence in any setting.
The Guardian features an 18K white gold chain weighing 4.0g. The Warmth features an 18K solid yellow gold chain weighing 2.7g. 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, The Guardian's 4.0g 18K white gold chain contains about 3.0g of pure gold. A same-weight 14K chain would contain about 2.34g. The Warmth's 2.7g 18K yellow gold chain contains about 2.03g of pure gold; a same-weight 14K chain would contain about 1.58g.
The Guardian: NZ$3,280 (18K white gold). The Warmth: NZ$2,650 (18K yellow gold). Both prices are all-inclusive of the diamond, setting, and NZ delivery. See our pricing page for full details.
Yes — everything is included. The listed price covers the full HPHT creation process, the 0.57ct lab-grown diamond, the complete 18K gold pendant and chain (not a loose diamond), insured courier return delivery, and return of any unused hair. GIA or IGI certification is the only optional extra, available on request.
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.
GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and IGI (International Gemological Institute) certification is available on request at an additional cost. A certificate documents 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.
Certification 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 whether it carries a certificate.
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 Guardian at NZ$3,280 and The Warmth at NZ$2,650 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.
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