One of the most challenging things you will have to do in your lifetime is to determine what your loved one is to be buried with or not.
And deciding if the jewelry they loved the most should go to the grave with them or not.
And as tough and challenging as it may be, you have to decide and even discuss what to do and what not to do.
Do you bury someone with jewelry?
Whether the deceased person is buried with jewelry or not depends on their wishes while they’re still alive, family traditions, etc.
But in the funeral home, most of the time, all jewelry will be removed from the deceased’s body, then inventoried before they are put in a secure location before they are handed over to the family or the executor.
But in many cases, especially in traditional burials, there is often the option to bury the deceased person with jewelry, especially if that was their wish while they were alive.
Overall, it is a personal matter and all a matter of preference, especially its implications to the estate. And in such cases, the executor of the estate and the family members will determine if the deceased is buried with the jewelry or not.
In many cases, today, the deceased person is not buried with their jewelry, especially when the jewelry is a high-value piece. Most of the time, all jewelry is removed during the preparation process; most people aren’t buried with their jewelry.
Is it illegal to bury someone with jewelry?
If you live in the US, it is not illegal to get buried with jewelry, and many people, men, and women, are buried with their wedding rings, among other types of jewelry.
But even with this knowledge and the option to bury a loved one with the jewelry or not, many families choose not to have the deceased wear the jewelry, either because of the inherent value of the jewelry, the need to keep the jewelry in the family as an heirloom (especially when the deceased had expressed their intentions about who they wanted to keep wearing the jewelry after they were gone), and in other cases, this decision stems from the belief and the fear of losing the jewelry in the jewelry home.
Some people have reported jewelry being stolen in funeral homes, and such fears often hold people back.
Also, burying someone with expensive jewelry would be a waste, and it would be better to keep it around as a way of memorializing the deceased.
Tips for burying someone with jewelry
Some people will argue that it doesn’t do anyone any good to bury someone with jewelry, but if you must, either because of traditions and customs or the wishes of the deceased, you may need some guidance regarding how you do it.
Below are some helpful tips that you will need when it comes to burying a loved one with jewelry:
Safeguard the jewelry
As mentioned above, there is a considerable risk of the jewelry being stolen at any point after the demise of your loved one, before, during, or after the demise of the person.
So, if the deceased wanted to be buried with their wedding ring or pearls, you have to put in place safeguarding measures.
Often, this will involve talking to the funeral home director about it and holding them accountable. If you can, someone can confirm if the jewelry is still there before the deceased is given their final send-off.
Honoring their wishes
If it is the best decision or the right thing for you and your family to do, then you should bury the deceased with the jewelry.
But if you believe that keeping and may be wearing the jewelry will be a way for you to honor the deceased and symbolize the great passion and love you shared, you should keep the jewelry.
Get the jewelry appraised
You may be wondering what use the appraisal is if you’re going to bury them with the jewelry. Well, although it sounds counterintuitive, especially if they wished to be buried with the jewelry, the truth is that they will not know.
And knowing the real value of the jewelry is important because it could mean burying them with a cheaper or fake version of the jewelry if their actual jewelry is worth something.
If we’re realistic, it makes zero sense to bury a loved one with something expensive when you could use the proceeds of the jewelry’s sale to take care of bills and debts or just to have some extra cash stashed away for future use.
So, get the jewelry appraised before you do anything rush, especially if you don’t know how much it’s worth.
Conclusion
The decision to bury a loved one with jewelry is personal, and it ultimately depends on your wishes and what you’d want as a family.
Some people don’t leave any express wishes before passing on, but the family knows what they would have liked.
So, you can bury them with the jewelry or not, depending on your wishes.
Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.