Effective January 1, 2026

At Marlin Fine Jewelry, we understand the profound emotional significance of memorial jewelry. The materials you entrust to us are sacred and irreplaceable. Every piece is crafted with care, intention, and deep respect, honoring the life and memory of your beloved.

Below you'll find everything you need to know about how your materials are collected, prepared, handled, and transformed into something you will carry with you always.

Your Material Collection Kit

After your order is placed, we'll send you a Material Collection Kit with everything you need to safely package and ship your memorial materials back to us.

If you selected cremated remains, your kit will include:

• Labeled baggies for secure packaging
• A USPS Priority Mail Express Small Cremated Remains Box (BOX-CRE)
• The Memorial Material Guide & Submission Form

If you selected any other material, your kit will include:

• Labeled baggies for secure packaging
• A USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Small Box
• The Memorial Material Guide & Submission Form

Please note that no prepaid postage label is included. Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the client. Full carrier and packaging instructions for your specific material are included in the Memorial Material Guide inside your kit.

A note for cremated remains clients: Because cremated remains must be shipped via USPS Priority Mail Express by federal law, you will need to purchase USPS Priority Mail Express postage to affix to your BOX-CRE. Your kit's guide walks you through this step.

Please complete the enclosed Submission Form and include it inside your shipment. Materials received without a completed form may be delayed.

When to Send

Materials must arrive within 30 days of your order date. If you need more time, please reach out at hello@itsmarlin.com before that window closes so we can make arrangements in writing.

If we haven't received your materials within two weeks of your order date, we'll follow up by email. If we're unable to reach you after three unanswered emails over a 14-day period, your order may be canceled and refunded.

Where to Send

Marlin Fine Jewelry
3460 Marron Road, STE 103-124
Oceanside, CA 92056

Please note that shipping costs are the responsibility of the client. Full shipping instructions for your specific material are included in the Material Guide.

Accepted Materials

In general, any dry, stable material that can be safely crushed or powdered for inlay is accepted. These may include:

• Cremated remains (human or pet)
• Hair or fur
• Dried flowers
• Soil or sand
• Fabric fragments
• Other dry, stable materials

If you have a unique material in mind, please reach out before shipping so we can confirm it's a good fit.

For health, safety, and legal reasons, we cannot accept liquid materials, bodily fluids, or biological tissue. All materials must be dry, stable, and safe to handle. Materials that arrive in an unacceptable condition will be returned at your expense or held pending further instruction.

Legal note: Cremated remains are subject to federal shipping regulations and must be sent via USPS Priority Mail Express only. Full instructions are included in the Material Guide.

How We Care for Your Materials

Upon arrival at our studio, all memorial materials are:

• Opened and carefully inspected
• Clearly labeled with your project details
• Logged into our internal system
• Stored securely in a locked safe

Your materials remain individually identified throughout every stage of the creation process. Your piece will only ever contain your material.

If materials arrive in a condition that makes them unsuitable for inlay-including moisture, contamination, insufficient quantity, or packaging failure- we'll contact you promptly to discuss next steps. Replacement materials may be required and may result in production delays.

Marlin Fine Jewelry is not responsible for loss, damage, or delays once packages leave your possession, or once cremated remains are entrusted to any carrier. While we deeply understand the irreplaceable nature of these materials, loss or damage during transit is a reality of this process and falls outside our control.

The Inlay Process & Natural Variations

Each memorial piece is crafted using our signature inlay techniques. We do not use epoxy resin anywhere in our inlay process.

Your memorial material is combined with crushed semiprecious stone and set into your jewelry with a specialized binder, then sanded and polished to a smooth, luminous finish. Because ashes and natural stones each vary in tone and composition, subtle differences in color, speckling, and texture are to be expected. These natural variations are what make each piece entirely one of a kind.

Hair & Fur: Because hair and fur don't naturally integrate into stone-based inlays in a visually cohesive way, we intentionally layer them beneath the semiprecious stone rather than blending them directly into it. This preserves the elevated aesthetic of your piece while keeping the material safely and permanently enclosed. Hair or fur may be trimmed to ensure proper placement and durability.

A Note on Permanence: Once your memorial materials are set within your jewelry, they become a permanent part of the piece. They cannot be removed, separated, or extracted after completion.

Unused Materials

Any unused materials will be carefully sealed, labeled, and returned to you alongside your finished piece.

We intentionally ask for only a small amount so that you may keep the majority of your loved one's materials at home. In the rare event of loss during transit or craftsmanship, you will still have ample material in your possession.

Production Timeline

Production begins once your materials have been received, logged, and confirmed at our studio. Our standard production timeline is 6–8 weeks from that date.

Legal Authorization

By sending memorial materials to Marlin Fine Jewelry, you confirm that you hold full legal authority and permission from any rightful owner to transfer and use those materials for the creation of jewelry.

Marlin Fine Jewelry is not responsible for verifying ownership or resolving disputes related to the possession or use of memorial materials.

We operate in compliance with all applicable California laws regarding the handling of cremated remains. Your materials are used solely for the creation of your commissioned piece and are never spread, divided, or disposed of beyond what is necessary for craftsmanship.

Acknowledgment of Risk

Jewelry-making is a handcrafted process involving tools, heat, pressure, and fine materials. While we take every precaution to protect what you entrust to us, there are inherent risks involved in both shipping and craftsmanship.

By placing an order and submitting memorial materials, you acknowledge that Marlin Fine Jewelry cannot guarantee against rare instances of loss, damage, or material alteration during transit or production. You accept these risks as an understood and accepted condition of this work.

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