A fingerprint ring describes a piece of jewelry that features the engraving of a person’s fingerprint. Let’s discuss fingerprint rings and find out some online stores that sell these customized pieces of jewelry.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- What’s a Fingerprint Ring?
- How Do You Duplicate and Send a Fingerprint to a Jewelry Company?
- How Do You Do Fingerprints At Home Without a Collection Kit?
- How Do You Get a Fingerprint For a Person Who Died?
- Popular Types of Fingerprint Rings
- Where Can You Buy Fingerprint Jewelry Online?
Although some associate this type of jewelry as grief jewelry, fingerprint rings are used in all sorts of circumstances.
Do you want to celebrate your new baby? Use the fingerprint (or toe print) on a ring and engrave a favorite quote about enduring love or motherhood.
Have you found your soulmate? Share fingerprint rings.
Here’s what you need to know about this customizable jewelry – including how you send the fingerprint to the jeweler.
What’s a Fingerprint Ring?
A fingerprint ring is a personalized ring that features an individual’s fingerprint. Although they are sometimes used as grief jewelry, they can also be created to celebrate any type of love or devotion you have for a living person.
Although you might be hard-put to prove otherwise, fingerprint rings are customized to reflect the actual print of the person being celebrated. People purchasing fingerprint jewelry send in the actual fingerprint, and the design is engraved on the ring or pendant.
Often people purchasing fingerprint rings will add other customizations to the order. For example, you might label the piece with the person’s name, nickname, initials, or relationship. You might also add an important date – such as a birth date, wedding anniversary, or death date. Perhaps you could add a message as well, such as “I’ll love you forever,” “My sweet baby,” or “Always in my heart.”
Before discussing the different types of fingerprint rings, let’s discuss how to duplicate and send a fingerprint to the jewelry company.
How Do You Duplicate and Send a Fingerprint to a Jewelry Company?
Different companies use different techniques to collect a fingerprint for a piece of jewelry. Here’s how one company describes the process.
Step 1: Request a fingerprint ink kit
Some companies will mail you a fingerprint ink kit to help you capture the fingerprints for this keepsake. The fingerprint kit may vary, but generally, it will include ink strips and fingerprint cards.
Step 2: Prepare the materials
If your fingerprint ink kit includes an ink strip, peel the strip apart to expose the inked surfaces. The ink strip may be long enough for several prints, which is good because it may take a bit of practice to receive a clear image. However, make sure to use a different part of the strip every time you obtain a print.
Step 3: Press the inked finger on the collection card
Make sure your hands are clean and dry! Take care not to press too hard on the collection card, or you might smudge the print. Some companies will request several prints and will choose the one that will work the best for the project.
It doesn’t matter which finger you use for your fingerprint jewelry. In some cases, only a small portion of the fingerprint will appear.
Step 4: Examine your fingerprint
Look on the company’s website for fingerprint images. Most fingerprint jewelry companies will have examples of fingerprints that are done well and examples of prints that would be unusable.
Step 5: Photograph the fingerprint
Please note that some companies have you mail the fingerprint collection card back to the company. However, in an effort to speed up the process, some companies allow individuals to take photos of their fingerprints.
If you are taking a photo of your fingerprints, simply use the camera on your phone. Place the fingerprint collection card in a well-lit area and take a straight-on picture of the print. Make sure you fill the viewfinder entirely as you take the image.
Step 6: Follow the instructions to submit the photo
Once you have received a good photo of the fingerprints, follow the company’s instructions to submit the picture.
How Do You Do Fingerprints at Home Without a Collection Kit?
If you are working with a company that doesn’t send a fingerprint collection kit, you can obtain the fingerprints using materials you have at home.
For example, using a soft pencil, shade in a fingerprint-sized section of a white piece of paper. Make sure you add as much graphite from the pencil as possible. Use this paper as a make-shift ink pad.
Once you have pressed your finger to the shaded area of paper, place it firmly on the sticky side of a piece of tape. Then place the tape on a piece of white paper so you are able to photograph the print.
Of course, you can also utilize an ink pad that you purchase from a craft store.
How Do You Get a Fingerprint for a Person Who Died?
Other circumstances may make it difficult to collect the fingerprint of a person. For example, you might want to have a customized piece of jewelry for someone deceased or unavailable for another reason.
First, consider if you might have a copy of your loved one’s fingerprints on another document. For example, if your loved one served in the military, their fingerprint might be available on their official documents. If you find such a document, take a photo of the fingerprint for submission to the jewelry company.
Second, if you recently lost a loved one, you can request that the funeral home employees fingerprint the deceased. Fingerprint jewelry is popular, so the funeral home employee may often receive such requests.
In some cases, the funeral home may proactively take a fingerprint of the deceased. Some funeral homes sell fingerprint merchandise, so they may have the print on file in case you decide to purchase a piece from them.
Finally, some parents commission a piece of fingerprint jewelry when mourning a deceased baby. Even though a newborn’s fingerprints aren’t fully formed, the tiny prints can be used for fingerprint rings.
Of course, hospitals have the necessary items to take handprints and footprints of babies for identification purposes. You can use these prints for your piece of jewelry.
Popular Types of Fingerprint Rings
Jewelry designers have created many different types of fingerprint rings and fingerprint jewelry. Here are some general design options to consider.
Engraved fingerprint jewelry
The cost of fingerprint rings ranges widely. While some rings are more expensive because of the materials used, others may be more expensive because the fingerprint is actually engraved into the piece.
If you want to be able to feel the ridges of your loved one’s fingerprint, make sure you purchase an engraved piece.
Wrapped fingerprint ring
Envision a solid, thick ring without any stones. A wrapped fingerprint ring has a segment of a person’s fingerprint engraved on the material. Even though you cannot see the entirety of a print, the ridges will remind you of the person you love.
Fingerprint rings with a flat surface
Some designers create a flat surface on the top of the ring, in which they display a portion or the entirety of your loved one’s fingerprint.
Rings with hidden fingerprints
Some jewelry designers place the etched or engraved fingerprint on the ring’s interior.
Fingerprint cremation rings
Fingerprint cremation rings are designed to hold a tiny portion of your loved one’s cremains (or the soil surrounding their grave).
Fingerprint rings made with precious metals
Some people prefer only to wear precious metals, such as gold, silver, or platinum. Fingerprint rings can be made using these materials. But, of course, they will be higher priced.
How Much Does Fingerprint Jewelry Typically Cost?
Fingerprint jewelry costs range greatly. You can purchase a customized small heart ring with a portion of your loved one’s fingerprint for around $50. Of course, you can also spend $1,200 for a 14K 8 mm white gold ring.
The cost of a fingerprint ring is dependent on the quality of the engraving and the materials used.
Where Can You Buy Fingerprint Jewelry Online?
Many online retailers sell fingerprint rings and other types of fingerprint jewelry. If you are purchasing a fingerprint ring as a keepsake following a person’s death, you might consult with the funeral home to see if they offer any pieces.
Here are some online fingerprint jewelry stores.
Legacy Touch
Located in the Kansas City metro area, Legacy Touch offers fingerprint rings made of gold, titanium, and sterling silver. These are pieces of fine custom-made jewelry, so they may be more expensive than some of their competitors. The rings come with 25 characters of personalized engraving included in the price.
Larson
Larson sells fingerprint rings made of tungsten, gold, palladium, and silver. They have a wide variety of styles and colors. Although it seems that they specialize in wedding bands and engagement rings with fingerprints on them, the rings can be created for any occasion.
Etsy
Several Etsy stores will help you create fingerprint rings.
Everlasting Memories
The goal of this company is to create products to help you remember your deceased loved one. Part of their catalog includes fingerprint products.
Afterlife Essentials
Another company specializing in memorial products, Afterlife Essentials, sells quite a few relatively inexpensive styles of fingerprint rings, including some with hidden chambers for cremation ash, soil, or sand.
Other Ideas for Memorial Jewelry
There are many different types of memorial jewelry – pendants, earrings, bracelets, and tie clips, to name a few. If you don’t wear jewelry, you might consider purchasing a keychain etched with your loved one’s fingerprint.
If this type of jewelry isn’t your style, you might consider researching cremation diamonds or memorial diamonds. Memorial diamonds can be made from hair or cremation ash. They can be used in any type of jewelry and make an excellent heirloom for future generations to enjoy while remembering your loved one.