Can You Put Human Hair in Jewellery? Complete UK Guide to Hair Memorial Keepsakes
Preserving Human Hair in Memorial Jewellery
Yes, you absolutely can put human hair in jewellery — and it’s a beautiful, meaningful way to keep a loved one close. Hair memorial jewellery has been treasured for centuries, from Victorian mourning lockets to modern opal keepsakes, offering a tangible connection to someone special.
This complete guide explains how human hair is preserved in jewellery, what types of pieces work best, how much hair you need, and everything else you should know about creating a lasting hair keepsake in the UK.
At Lovely Oxford, I make every piece by hand in my South Oxfordshire studio. You can browse the full hair and fur memorial jewellery collection, or read on to understand exactly how the process works.
A Brief History of Hair Jewellery
Hair jewellery isn’t a new concept. During the Victorian era (1837–1901), mourning jewellery containing locks of hair was incredibly popular. Grieving families would commission brooches, lockets, and rings featuring intricate hair work — sometimes woven into elaborate patterns or simply enclosed behind glass.
These pieces served as both memorial keepsakes and symbols of love and remembrance. Today, we continue this tradition with modern techniques that preserve hair beautifully and durably for generations to come.
How Is Human Hair Preserved in Jewellery?
There are several methods for incorporating human hair into jewellery, each offering different aesthetic results:
1. Resin or Opal Preservation
The most popular modern method involves mixing hair with jewellery-grade resin or opal powder to create a unique, iridescent setting.
- A small lock of hair is carefully prepared
- The hair is mixed with specialised resin and opal materials
- The mixture is set into the jewellery piece (ring, pendant, earrings)
- It’s UV-cured and polished to create a glass-like, durable finish
- The result is a one-of-a-kind opal-like stone with visible hair textures
This method creates a permanent, durable preservation that’s suitable for daily wear.
2. Sealed Chamber Lockets
Traditional lockets feature a small chamber where hair is placed and then permanently sealed behind glass or a secure closure.
- Hair remains visible and unchanged
- Classic, timeless aesthetic
- Can include other elements like photos or flowers
3. Behind Glass Settings
Some pieces feature hair displayed behind a protective glass or crystal dome, similar to Victorian mourning jewellery. Our glass locket pieces work beautifully for this — browse the flower and locket keepsakes collection for examples.
Types of Hair Memorial Jewellery
Memorial Rings
Rings are among the most popular choices for hair preservation. They’re visible, meaningful, and can be worn daily. Browse our full memorial rings collection.
Popular styles include opal memorial rings with hair preserved in resin settings (4mm–8mm), sterling silver bands with sealed hair chambers, 9ct gold rings for a premium lasting tribute, and stacking rings that can be combined with other memorial pieces.
Memorial Necklaces and Pendants
Necklaces keep your loved one close to your heart — literally. Popular styles include teardrop pendants with opal settings, heart-shaped lockets, simple sphere pendants for a minimalist look, and glass locket necklaces displaying hair behind crystal. Explore our memorial necklaces collection.
Memorial Earrings
For those who prefer earrings, small studs with opal settings can beautifully preserve hair in a subtle, elegant way. See our memorial earrings collection.
Stacking Rings
Stacking rings are a beautiful way to layer multiple memorial pieces — perhaps one for each person you want to remember, or combining hair and ashes in separate rings worn together.
How Much Hair Do You Need?
You need surprisingly little hair for memorial jewellery — typically just a small lock about the thickness of a pencil and 2–3 inches long.
- Rings and small pendants: A lock of about 5–10 strands, 2–3 inches long
- Larger pendants or lockets: A slightly thicker lock, 10–20 strands
- Earrings (pair): Just a few strands for both earrings combined
The small amount required means you can create multiple pieces from one lock of hair, or share hair among family members who each want their own keepsake. See our FAQs for more detail on quantities.
Whose Hair Can Be Preserved?
Hair memorial jewellery can honour many special people in your life:
Loved ones who have passed — the most common use, creating a lasting memorial keepsake.
Living family members — many people create hair jewellery to celebrate living loved ones: a baby’s first haircut, children’s hair to commemorate milestones, wedding hair from your special day, or elderly parents or grandparents while they’re still with you.
Multiple people combined — you can combine hair from different people in one piece. Parents and children together, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren, or a couple’s hair intertwined. The mixed hair creates unique patterns in opal settings, symbolising the bond between loved ones.
Can You Combine Hair with Other Materials?
Yes, absolutely. Many customers choose to create combination memorial pieces:
- Hair + ashes from the same person for a complete memorial
- Hair + funeral flowers for a layered tribute — see our flower keepsakes collection
- Hair + wedding flowers to commemorate your special day — see our wedding keepsakes collection
- Hair + pet fur to honour the bond between a person and their beloved pet — see our hair and fur memorial jewellery collection
How to Collect and Store Hair for Jewellery
Collecting hair: Cut from close to the root for the best quality. Keep strands together in their natural direction. Collect 2–3 inches in length if possible. Avoid cutting hair that’s been heavily treated with dyes or chemicals — though it can still work.
Storing hair: Place in a small zip-lock bag or envelope. Label clearly with the person’s name and date collected. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Keep flat to prevent tangling. Hair can be preserved in jewellery even decades after it was collected, so there’s no rush.
Sending Hair for Memorial Jewellery
- Place hair in a small zip-lock bag or secure envelope
- Label with your name and order number
- Wrap in tissue or bubble wrap for protection
- Place in a padded envelope or small box
- Send via Royal Mail Signed For or Special Delivery for tracking
See our FAQs for full instructions on how to package and send hair safely.
Choosing the Right Metal
The metal you choose affects how your piece looks, how long it lasts, and how much maintenance it needs. Read our full guide on sterling silver vs gold vs gold-fill to understand the differences in detail. In summary:
- Sterling silver (925) — the most affordable precious metal, beautiful and classic, requires occasional polishing. UK hallmarked.
- 9ct solid gold — the most durable option, doesn’t tarnish, ideal for a piece you’ll wear every day for decades. Browse our solid gold memorial jewellery collection.
- Gold-filled — the look of gold at a more accessible price, extremely durable, won’t tarnish or fade with normal wear.
How Long Does It Take to Make?
Once we receive your hair, most pieces take 1–3 weeks to handcraft, depending on the complexity of the design and current demand. I’ll confirm safe receipt within 48 hours and keep you updated throughout. Any unused hair is returned to you with your finished piece via tracked delivery. See our FAQs for current turnaround times.
Caring for Hair Memorial Jewellery
Proper care ensures your piece lasts a lifetime. The key habits are: remove before swimming, showering, or exercising; store in a soft pouch when not wearing; clean gently with a soft dry cloth; keep away from perfumes, lotions, and hairspray; and store away from direct sunlight to prevent resin yellowing over time.
Read our full guides on whether memorial jewellery is waterproof and wearing memorial jewellery every day for complete care advice. Our jewellery care instructions page also covers everything you need to know.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use dyed or bleached hair?
Yes, treated hair can still be preserved in jewellery. The colour may appear slightly different in resin, but it will still create a beautiful, unique piece.
Can you use grey or white hair?
Absolutely. Grey and white hair preserve beautifully and create stunning, ethereal patterns in opal settings.
What if the hair is very short?
Even short hair (1–2 inches) can be used. We can work with whatever length you have available.
Can you use curly or textured hair?
Yes, all hair types and textures can be preserved. Curly hair often creates particularly interesting patterns in resin.
What happens to leftover hair?
We return all unused hair to you, carefully packaged and sent via tracked delivery along with your finished jewellery. We never discard any materials.
Can I send hair from multiple people?
Yes, you can combine hair from different people in one piece. Simply label each lock clearly and let us know in your order notes that you’d like them combined.
Can I wear hair jewellery every day?
Yes — our pieces are designed for daily wear. Read our full guide on wearing memorial jewellery every day for everything you need to know.
What if I don’t have any hair saved?
If you don’t have hair from a loved one who has passed, you might still be able to find some from a hairbrush or comb they used, clothing or bedding (check seams and collars), or a hat or scarf they wore frequently. Even a few strands are enough to create a meaningful piece.
Hair Jewellery as a Gift
Hair memorial jewellery makes a deeply personal, thoughtful gift — for new parents preserving a baby’s first haircut, for grandparents containing grandchildren’s hair, for someone grieving a lost loved one, or for a wedding keepsake. Read our guide on gifting memorial jewellery for ideas on how to give thoughtfully, including gift vouchers for those who aren’t ready to choose yet.
Ready to Create Your Hair Memorial Piece?
Preserving human hair in jewellery is a beautiful, meaningful way to keep someone special close to your heart. Whether you’re honouring a loved one who has passed, celebrating a living family member, or commemorating a special milestone, hair jewellery creates a lasting, wearable keepsake.
Browse our collections: memorial rings, memorial necklaces, memorial earrings, and hair and fur memorial jewellery.
Every piece is handcrafted with care in my South Oxfordshire studio. If you have questions about the process, how much hair you need, or which piece might be right for you, please get in touch — I’d be honoured to help you create something truly meaningful.
You can also read more customer reviews and stories, or learn more about Lovely Oxford and how I work.
Lovely Oxford is a handcrafted memorial jewellery studio based in South Oxfordshire, UK. We ship within the UK only. Every piece is made by hand by Olja. Get in touch to discuss a bespoke hair memorial piece.