Losing a loved one can be an emotional journey. Finding meaningful ways to remember them can provide comfort during the grieving process. Keepsake jewelry offers a heartfelt and personal way to keep a loved one's memory alive.From personalized necklaces to pendants, rings and more, memorial jewelry serves as a constant reminder of a lost loved one’s presence in your life. It allows you to carry their memory with you wherever you go.The French actress Eva Green once said, “All my jewelry has stories.” Isn’t that so true? I’m sure if we looked through our jewelry box our most special pieces would have a story, person or place attached to them. That is especially true for memorial jewelry items that honor the life and legacy of a loved one.Keep reading for some of our favorite keepsake jewelry that could provide comfort to you or someone else experiencing a loss. 

Keepsake jewelry, also called memorial jewelry, is simply a piece of jewelry that is worn to honor the life of a loved one who passed away or is no longer a part of your life. Memorial jewelry can be personalized in a variety of ways to make it even more special. An item may be engraved with the loved ones name, initials, birthdate or date of passing, among other things. Memorial jewelry could also be specific to the person’s birthstone as a way of personalizing the memory even more. Other jewelry items could include a small picture, cremation ash, or even a baby footprint. 

Although it can feel intimidating to support a friend who has lost a loved one, sending a piece of keepsake jewelry is one simple and special way to support them in their time of sorrow. Whether they have lost a family member, spouse, child, or experienced a miscarriage, memorial jewelry can become a treasured gift of hope, strength, and support. 

The Laurelbox unique collection of commemorative jewelry was designed to nourish a woman's heart during grief. Each piece in the remembrance jewelry collection is exclusively crafted to care for a woman’s heart and soul after loss. No matter the piece, each of the precious memorial remembrance gifts are sure to bring comfort and be a reminder that they are loved and supported. From beautiful memorial necklaces to delicate jewelry dishes, there are so many options for jewelry pieces they will cherish forever. My particular favorites include the custom engraved handwriting necklace. I think it’s so special to be able to wear a beautiful custom necklace with your loved one's actual handwriting engraved onto the charm. These personalized necklaces are a timeless keepsake for a grieving heart, and are custom made by the Laurelbox team in house. Another special gift for a mother grieving a miscarriage, stillbirth, or child loss would be a custom handprint or footprint necklace that also includes the baby’s name. When we lose someone there is a deep-seated fear, especially for the loss of a baby, that we will forget about their brief but important life. Seeing the footprints and reading the name is a special way to honor those lives cut short. 

After we unexpectedly lost our second son Cooper at full term, I was sent a variety of memorial jewelry pieces that I have to this day. I also chose this engraved stackable ring set and had “Trey” (our living son) and “Cooper” engraved on two of them. For some reason, I decided to leave the third blank in hopes for another child. It was a few months later that we would miscarry another baby boy late in the first trimester. We decided not to name that baby and so it was even more significant that I already had a memorial ring with no name that I felt was just for that sweet baby. 

Let’s be real, grief is hard. It doesn’t matter if you knew a death would occur or if it happened unexpectedly, the fact is someone special to you is no longer a part of your day-to-day life. The hole they leave can vary in size, depending on your relationship when they were alive and how frequently your paths crossed. Regardless, there is a hole. Having some tangible object that reminds you of the person can help in the grieving process. It’s a way to center yourself if you feel overwhelmed. This article by Medical News Today even talks about how focusing on an object is a real way to stop a panic attack. It reads, in part, “When distressing thoughts, feelings, or memories overwhelm someone, concentrating on something physical in their environment can help ground them. Focusing on one stimulus can reduce other stimuli. As the person looks at the item, they may want to think about how it feels, who made it, and its shape. This technique can help reduce the symptoms of a panic attack.” I remember stroking my “Forget Me Not” necklace in honor of Cooper when I was especially sad. It was a comforting object that was something I could touch when I couldn’t touch him. Spend a few minutes thinking about what piece of memorial jewelry might work for your situation.  

We hope this blog has been helpful in explaining what keepsake jewelry is and the reasons it is so special and a valuable part of the grieving process. No matter the type of loss, keepsake jewelry might be the right choice for yourself or a loved one grieving a loss. Whether you choose an engraved necklace, baby footprint necklace, birthstone piece or custom name ring, know that it will become a cherished item you keep for decades. It’s also a natural way to bring up the life of your loved one if someone asks about the piece of jewelry. In most cases, the person grieving *wants* to talk about the person, we just need someone to ask about them. What are your favorite pieces of keepsake jewelry? Have you ever been able to share about your loved one, after someone asked about a custom necklace or keepsake bracelet? Send us a message through social media and let us know!