Eterneva

Eterneva is a direct-to-consumer memorial products company that grows diamonds from the carbon in the cremated ashes or hair of deceased people and pets. Customers send roughly half a cup of ashes; the company extracts carbon and grows a diamond in high-pressure, high-temperature machines, then sets the stone in rings, pendants and necklaces, earrings, bracelets or bespoke pieces. Diamonds are offered colorless or in colors including black, yellow, blue, green, red, pink and amber, in sizes ranging from about 0.15 to 5 carats, and can be engraved. The process takes approximately seven to nine months and is structured as an interactive "Journey" in which customers receive video and photo updates at each stage, personalized notes, and the option to visit the lab or participate in person [0][2][3][6].

Alongside diamonds made for loved ones who have already died, Eterneva sells Blueprint, a pre-planning product that lets a buyer design and lock in the price of a future diamond for themselves, another person or a pet, assign a beneficiary, and pay in full or over 12, 36, 60 or 120 months, with plans described as starting at $32 per month and a certificate of ownership issued on completion [4]. The company positions itself as a grief-wellness business rather than a diamond business, and cites third-party validation of its lab, disclosure of its facility location, and chain-of-custody protocols under which it works on one loved one at a time [2][4].

Founding story

In 2015 co-founder Adelle Archer's mentor Tracey Kaufman, a 47-year-old Austin technology executive, was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and died months later, leaving her ashes to her aunt, best friend and Archer. Dissatisfied with the memorial options she found and while already working on a lab-grown diamond startup, Archer learned from a diamond scientist that carbon could be extracted from ashes to grow a diamond, and had a black diamond made from Kaufman's ashes — the first diamond Eterneva created. Archer launched the company with Garrett Ozar, a former BigCommerce colleague, in the first quarter of 2017 [2][6].

Business model

Direct-to-consumer sale of memorial diamonds and finished jewelry, with a partner channel through funeral homes, crematoriums and veterinary offices, and a prepaid pre-planning product (Blueprint) sold either in full or on multi-year payment schedules [4][5][6].

Product revenue from memorial diamonds and jewelry priced by size and color, with an entry price of $2,999 and higher prices for larger or colored stones; prepaid Blueprint plans generate revenue in advance of the diamond being grown, with payment plans from $32 per month [4][6].

Traction

As of July 2021 Eterneva had created nearly 1,500 diamonds for more than 1,000 customers, reported triple-digit sales growth since inception and more than doubled revenue in 2020. The company's website gallery displays 1,140 finished pieces and cites more than 2 million social followers and over 500 million views [0][3][6].

Latest developments

Current site materials describe a Kerrville, Texas headquarters and diamond lab billed as the largest memorial diamond facility in the US, over $15 million invested in infrastructure and R&D, a BBB ethics award, third-party validation of the lab, in-person and virtual tour programs, and the Blueprint pre-planning offering with payment terms up to 120 months [0][2][4].