Gifting Memorial Jewellery — What to Give When You Don't Know What to Say

When someone you love is grieving, the hardest thing in the world is knowing what to do. You want to help. You want to say something. You want to give them something that shows you care — but nothing feels like enough, and everything feels like too much.

I know that feeling well. I’ve been on both sides of it.

At Lovely Oxford, I make memorial jewellery by hand in my South Oxfordshire studio — pieces that hold ashes, hair, fur, fabric, and flowers. And over the years, I’ve had so many people reach out not for themselves, but for a friend. A sister. A colleague. Someone who has just lost a parent, a baby, or a beloved dog — and they have no idea what to give.

This guide is for you.

Why Sympathy Gifts Feel So Impossible

There’s a reason choosing a sympathy gift feels paralysing. Grief is deeply personal. What comforts one person might feel intrusive to another. Flowers fade. Cards get put in a drawer. And sometimes, the last thing a grieving person wants is another candle or a box of chocolates, however lovingly chosen.

What people in grief often need most is to feel seen. To know that the person they lost mattered — not just to them, but to the people around them. A gift that acknowledges the loss, rather than sidestepping it, can be profoundly healing.

That’s where memorial jewellery comes in.

The Most Thoughtful Sympathy Gift: Something That Holds a Memory

Memorial jewellery is not just beautiful — it’s purposeful. It gives the wearer a way to carry their loved one with them, always. A memorial ring that holds a pinch of ashes. A memorial necklace with a lock of hair sealed inside. A bracelet made with a scrap of fabric from a favourite shirt.

These aren’t morbid. They’re deeply human. They say: your love for this person is real, and it deserves to be honoured.

Not sure where to start? Browse our best sellers or read our memorial jewellery guide to understand the different styles and options available. You might also find our guide on wearing memorial jewellery every day helpful — it answers many of the practical questions people have before choosing a piece.

What If You Have Access to Something Special?

This is where gifting memorial jewellery becomes truly extraordinary — and something most people don’t realise is possible.

If you have access to something that belonged to the person or pet who has passed, you can send it to me and I’ll create a bespoke piece around it. This might be:

• A scrap of fabric from a favourite jumper, a baby blanket, a wedding dress, or a beloved pet’s bed
• A lock of hair — human or animal. See our hair and fur memorial jewellery collection for inspiration
• A small amount of ashes — browse our ashes jewellery collection to see what’s possible
• A dried flower from a funeral arrangement or a garden they loved — see our flower keepsakes collection
• A pet toy — if it contains fur or fabric I can work with, we can explore what’s possible

I work with fabric regularly, and the results are genuinely beautiful. Tiny pieces of meaningful textile, sealed forever inside a handcrafted ring or pendant. It’s one of the most personal things I make, and it never fails to move people.

If you’re not sure whether what you have will work, just get in touch. I’m always happy to talk it through.

What If You Don’t Have Anything Yet?

That’s completely okay — and actually very common. Grief doesn’t follow a timeline, and sometimes the person receiving the gift isn’t ready to think about memorial jewellery yet. They might need weeks or months before they’re in a place to choose something.

In that case, a gift voucher is the most thoughtful thing you can give.

A Lovely Oxford gift voucher means:

• The recipient can choose their own piece, in their own time — from rings, necklaces, earrings, and more
• They can decide what to include — ashes, hair, fur, flowers, fabric — when they’re ready
• There’s no pressure, no rush, and no wrong choice
• You’ve given them something that says I see your grief, and I want to help you honour it

It’s a gift that waits for them, gently, until they’re ready.

Who Is Memorial Jewellery Right For?

Memorial jewellery makes a meaningful sympathy gift for almost any kind of loss:

Loss of a Parent or Grandparent

One of the most common reasons people come to me. A piece made with a parent’s ashes or hair is something a child — of any age — can wear every day and feel close to them. Our ashes jewellery and hair memorial jewellery collections are a beautiful place to start.

Loss of a Partner or Spouse

Deeply personal and deeply painful. A bespoke piece made with something of theirs — a fabric from a favourite shirt, a lock of hair — can be an extraordinary comfort. If they loved something luxurious, our solid gold memorial jewellery collection is truly special. Read our guide on choosing the right metal to help decide.

Loss of a Pet

Pet loss is real loss, and it deserves to be treated that way. I make memorial jewellery for dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, and more — using fur, ashes, or even whiskers. Browse our pet fur memorial jewellery collection for more ideas.

Loss of a Baby

This deserves its own conversation — and I’ve written a separate guide on memorial jewellery for pregnancy loss and baby loss, because it is a grief that is so often invisible, and so deeply felt.

Gifting to a Man Who Is Grieving

Memorial jewellery isn’t just for women. If you’re looking for a sympathy gift for a man, read our guide on memorial jewellery for men — we have a range of clean, minimal pieces in sterling silver and gold that are wearable and meaningful for any gender.

Practical Gift Ideas at Every Budget

Not sure what to spend? Here’s a quick guide:

• Under £25 — a forget-me-not glass locket bracelet (£22.22) or memorial heart paperweight (£22) — beautiful, meaningful, and accessible
• £25–£60 — a forget-me-not locket necklace (£35) or a gift voucher towards a bespoke piece
• £60–£150 — a bespoke memorial necklace or memorial earrings made with their inclusions
• £150+ — a bespoke memorial ring or solid gold memorial piece — the most lasting and luxurious option

For a broader gift guide, read our post on unique gifts for her which covers all price points across the collection.

How to Give Memorial Jewellery as a Gift

Here’s how it works practically:

1. Choose a gift voucher — redeemable against any piece in the Lovely Oxford collection
2. Or choose a specific piece — if you know their style and what they’d like to include, I can guide you. Get in touch and we’ll find the right thing together
3. Include a handwritten note — I can include a personal message with every order, and send directly to the recipient if you prefer
4. Let them take their time — there’s no expiry pressure; grief doesn’t work to a schedule

If you’d like to send something that includes materials — a scrap of fabric, a lock of hair — please contact me before ordering so we can discuss the best approach together. You can also read our FAQs for more information on how the process works.

Caring for a Memorial Piece

If you’re giving memorial jewellery as a gift, it’s worth knowing a little about how to care for it — so you can pass that information on. Our full jewellery care guide covers everything, and our blog posts on whether memorial jewellery is waterproof and wearing memorial jewellery every day answer the most common questions.

The short version: remove before water, store properly, and give it an occasional gentle clean. A well-made piece, properly cared for, will last a lifetime.

A Note From Me

I started Lovely Oxford after losing my own parents. I know what it is to hold grief in your hands and not know what to do with it. I know what it means to find something — a piece of jewellery, a small object — that makes you feel less alone in it.

Every piece I make, I make as if it were for someone I love. Because in a way, it always is.

If you’re reading this because you’re trying to find the right thing for someone who is hurting — the fact that you’re here, looking, trying, matters more than you know.

You can read more customer stories and reviews here, or learn more about me and Lovely Oxford.

Lovely Oxford ships within the UK only. All memorial jewellery is handcrafted to order in our South Oxfordshire studio. Browse our collection or get in touch to discuss a bespoke sympathy gift.