The millennial perspective on death has to be at least slightly different from generations prior. After all, millennials had to grow up under the auspices of 9/11, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ever-lasting War in the Middle East. While a profoundly uncomfortable topic to explore, discussing the funerary industry is of the utmost importance, particularly when companies like Eterneva are seeking to shake things up with a millennial and tech-focused paradigm shift.
What Is Eterneva?
Heat. Pressure. Time and Carbon. The recipe for a diamond is simple but what’s truly needed to make a diamond to remember is the Eterneva process, a true celebration of life.
Eterneva is led by CEO and co-founder Adelle Archer. Archer made headlines around the industry as a true leader and innovator within the DeathTech space. Quickly rising to the forefront of the industry, Archer, and Eterneva would make waves as they turned cremains into diamonds while offering individuals a new way to mourn.
COVID-19 & Death Care Innovation
The rise of Eterneva during the COVID-19 crisis is likely no coincidence. The COVID-19 pandemic, which currently rages on, has already taken more than 3.39 million lives. Disruptions in the traditional funeral industry would leave families mourning and unable to properly lay their loved ones to rest. As funeral homes struggled to keep up with the crisis, people turned to the internet for solutions.
Introduction to Memorial Diamonds
While Eterneva rose in conjunction with the COVID-19 crisis, the synthetic diamond company was in production before the pandemic had begun. Adelle had been working in the synthetic diamond industry a few years before the pandemic, a project she would have to disregard when her mentor fell ill with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer at just 47-years-old.
Adelle would then struggle in much the same way as others, finding a way to memorialize a loved one without falling short. A traditional urn with ashes seemed lackluster for her friend’s life. She wanted to do something special, something more fantastic, something that gave her mentor a chance to live on in her heart as well as in her presence.
An industry in desperate need of reform, Adelle would enter into space to meet her clients where they are presently at. With a renewed focus on technology and innovation, Eterneva was able to fill a slot that had organically opened.
Understanding the Science
As younger generations come into their own concerning the death care industry, expect more and more focus to be put on innovative technologies. The funeral industry was disrupted temporarily by COVID-19, but companies like Eterneva offer longer-term disruption, led by a millennial thirst for innovation within these spheres.
To understand why Eterneva may take a new position in society’s perspective on death care, we must look closer at the science behind the process.
- The Welcome Kit — Every great journey begins with a warm welcome. The 7-step Eterneva process begins with a Welcome Kit that instructs clients on how to begin the process.
- Carbon Purification — To make a memorial diamond it is integral to first purify the carbon, removing elements while leaving behind carbon graphite powder. This is the starter material for your memorial diamond.
- Diamond Growth — For the next 2 to 3 months, Eterneva will watch as your memorial diamond grows in a state-of-the-art facility in Austin, TX, and Germany. World-class technology is utilized to heat the materials to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit at over 850k pounds per square inch.
- Quality Assessment — With a raw diamond now fully formed, Eterneva’s technicians will closely examine and assess the state of the diamond. Quality is important and perfection is pursued.
- Diamond Cutting — Following the final inspection, your loved one’s memorial diamond will be cut by a master technician with over 45 years of industry experience.
By this point in time, clients pursuing the benefits of a memorial diamond will be able to ask for additional services such as grading and engraving, diamond coloration, and jewelry sets.
Generational Shift in Bereavement
Losing a loved one can be damaging to put it lightly. For a generation that has suffered and struggled through so much strife and loss, Eterneva is seeking to bring something new for millennials to sink their teeth into. More than just an introduction and disruption to the death care industry, Eterneva’s memorial diamonds also provide long-lasting connections and enduring comfort that a simple funeral cannot encapsulate.
Eterneva’s drive toward disrupting the death tech industry began in 2019 with an appearance on “Shark Tank”. After presenting their demonstration products, which included a memorial necklace of Archer’s grandmother, Mark Cuban would go all-in on the concept with a 9% stake in the company.
As the death care industry continues to change and evolve, expect companies like Eterneva to keep setting the standard going forward with hand-delivered memorial diamonds.