Immortal memento

Beethoven composed many enduring symphonies. Now a Chicago company is about to create a Beethoven piece that will last forever - a diamond made from strands of the 18th-century composerÕs hair.

LifeGem Memorials, a company that first gained attention in 2002 by making diamonds out of carbon from cremated human remains, now says it can make diamonds out of human hair. This will allow people to bury their loved ones and still retain a memento they can carry with them.

To publicise this and to raise money for charity, the company has teamed up with John Reznikoff, who is in the ÒGuinness Book of World RecordsÓ for having the largest and most valuable collection of celebrity hair.

Reznikoff is giving six to 10 strands of BeethovenÕs hair to LifeGem, which will use it in a process to create three diamonds between 0.5 and 1 carat in weight.
Greg Herro, chief executive officer of LifeGem said, the diamonds will initially be put on a worldwide tour of museums and opera houses for about half a year as the company wants some publicity for its ability to make diamonds from hair.

ÒWe thought, what better way to do it than with an international icon who is known to millions,Ó Herro said.

Eventually, the diamonds will be sold at auction, with the proceeds donated to raise money for military families, Herro said.

Reznikoff, who has about 115 hair samples in his collection including locks from Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe and Charles Dickens, noted that Beethoven has wide appeal. The composerÕs music has been used in jazz, disco and rock songs, including the use of the familiar Òda-da-da-dum...Ó beginning of Symphony No 5 in the Electric Light OrchestraÕs version of ÒRoll Over BeethovenÓ.