Dust to dust to ... diamonds? US firm turns cremated remains into precious gems 

美国流行“骨灰钻石” 纪念亲人又出新品
 
 
 
 
 
 
This picture released by LifeGem, shows one of their creations: a diamond made from the ashes of cremated
remains.
 
Everyone said she was a gem. Now, just eight ounces of cremated remains is all it takes to turn your mother into
a diamond.

In fact, there's enough carbon in those ashes to make about 20 gems. And there will still be several pounds of
ashes left over to display on the mantelpiece .

So far, nobody's ordered more than 11 diamonds, said Dean Vanden Biesen, vice president of operations for LifeGem,
 which uses super-hot ovens to transform ashes to graphite and then presses the stone into blue and yellow
diamonds that retail for anywhere from 2,700 to 20,000 dollars.

"It's not for everyone," Vanden Biesen admitted, adding that for those who do chose to immortalize their loved
ones in jewelry, the experience is extremely positive.

"We have people that approach us who have just experienced a tragedy and they say I can't wait, I'm so excited
about this," he said.

The success of LifeGem is just one example of a radical shift in the funeral industry, said Mark Musgrove,
immediate past president of the National Funeral Directors Association.

Americans are moving away from traditional funerals and are seeking instead less somber occasions that reflect the
personality of the deceased.

They are also looking for alternative ways to remember their loved ones.

While a decline in religiosity has contributed to the shift, Musgrove said it's mainly a reflection of a cultural
 phenomenon.

"Back in the 60's the baby boomers were getting married in scuba gear," he said. "They're getting older and they
have the same individualism."
 
(Agencies)
 
大家都说她是一颗钻石。现在，只要八盎司骨灰就可以把您母亲的骨灰打造成一颗钻石，永远纪念您的母亲。

事实上，骨灰中碳的含量足以打造20颗钻石。即使这样，还会剩下几磅骨灰可以放在壁炉台上供奉。

“生命珍宝”公司副总经理迪安·范登·比森介绍说，到目前为止，有人最多定制过11颗钻石。“生命珍宝”公司用超高温的烤炉
将骨灰转变成石墨，然后再将石墨打造成蓝色和黄色的钻石，这些钻石的零售价在2,700到20,000美元之间。

“不是每个人都会这样做，”范登·比森说。他还补充说，对于那些确实想用钻石来纪念亲人的人，这种做法确实很不错。

“我们曾经碰到过这样的人，他们刚刚经历了失去亲人的悲痛。他们说‘我们等不及了，听到这样的消息我们太激动了’。”他说。

美国丧葬经理人协会刚刚退居二线的会长马克·马斯格罗夫说：“生命珍宝”公司的成功只是殡葬行业发生的极端变化中的一个事
例而已。

现在，越来越多的美国人放弃举办传统的葬礼纪念失去的亲人，而开始谋求一些新的、能够体现死者个性的、相对不是很阴郁的选
择。

他们也在寻找一些别的方式来纪念死去的亲人。

尽管，对宗教的虔诚大不如前是导致这种变化的主要原因，马斯格罗夫认为这主要体现了一种文化现象。

“那些在60年代婴儿潮时期出生的人，他们结婚的时候选择水下婚礼。现在，他们渐渐变老，他们身上表现出同样的个人主义倾
向。”他说。

（中国日报网站薛晓文译）