Australian jeweller makes necklaces and rings from teeth of dead loved ones
A combo image shows Jacqui Williams and her jewellery created from the remains of the dead.
Sakeena Banday, Gulf Today
It requires quite a bit of courage to take this bit between one's teeth. An Australian jeweller, Jacqui Williams, 29, makes unique necklaces and rings using remains of dead loved ones – including teeth and hair.
What a creepy way to remember your loved ones!
Williams is the owner of Grave Metallum Jewellery and she sells pieces that incorporate the remains of the dead.
Her ‘exclusive’ jewellery is created in her Melbourne studio.
Despite admitting her work can be morbid, she is happy to grant her customer’s requests to help them deal with their grief.
“I do this work because I want to help people deal with their grief and loss as it’s something that is guaranteed for every living thing,” Williams said.
She has a website with a funereal title to grow her business, The Grave Metallum, that states that she plans to continue her profession, until her pieces are accepted as normal.
"Enamoured by the empowerment of making something beautiful out of a taboo, I decided to pursue a journey to create thought-provoking pieces for forward thinking people out of unusual materials.
"After researching the different ways humans have dealt with death throughout history, and their memoirs to their loved ones, it became apparent that our modern culture has grown to become more fearful of the only thing guaranteed in life.
"I stumbled across a community of like-minded people and collectors of curiosities and oddities, people who not only wanted to talk about death, but who wanted to collect specimens and curiosities and give another life to things that once were. This then started the ever growing collection of bones and oddities of my own," her website adds.
The 29-year-old goldsmith became first interested in the process of grieving when she lost her best friend. Since then, she believes that the loss is easier to deal with when shared.
The prices of her unique prices vary from $350-$10,000 and custom jewellery takes up to eight weeks to create.
In short, she has no teething troubles.
