Elle Bellamy’s mother, Julie, loved sunflowers. She epitomized sunshine. And her love for her family and friends was electric.
“If my mom’s aura had a color,” shares Elle, “it would have been yellow. She just radiated this special kind of warmth, this brightness, and positivity. She was the life of the party, and there wasn't a room that wasn’t brighter for her having been in it.”
Originally from Paris, Texas and raised in Louisiana, Elle now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, musician Matt Belamy; and their darling, three-and-a-half year old daughter, Lovella. A model and actress, Elle has paused her career to embrace “full mommy mode” and enjoys her busy, yet easy-going life.
When her mom tragically lost her fierce battle with cancer, Elle wanted to honor her with an Eterneva Diamond. Choosing a yellow stone was a given; however, during her consultation, Elle learned something incredible that would change the course of her Eterneva Diamond Journey: she could combine different sources of carbon to create a memorial diamond that represented the important women in her life.
“I didn’t realize a four-generation diamond had never been done before,” she explains. “But I’ve already had such a great experience with Eterneva and I cannot wait to hold this precious diamond in my hands. When the welcome kit arrived, I was in Louisiana with my mom while she was in hospice, so it was a very sad time. But the personalized video was absolutely amazing, and the updates—like seeing how delicate they are placing the materials into the crucible—are so reassuring.”
Elle’s incredible four-generation diamond will include the ashes of her beloved mother and grandmother, “Mimi;” as well as hair from herself and her daughter. Keep reading to learn about the lives being honored and why Elle affectionately calls her stone “The Sunshine Diamond.”
Julie
“Last summer, my mom took a little break from chemo treatments and came on tour with us. She’d only ever traveled outside the country once, so we went to Vienna, Berlin, London…all these gorgeous places. She loved it. She called it her ‘trip of a lifetime.’ It was really cool, because on that trip, I got to really witness just how much fun my mom is! Even though she was battling cancer, she was positive and always the life of the party. She lit up every room. She was just the best.”
Margaret Rose
“I called her Mimi. My parents divorced when I was one, so she watched me every day while my mom went to work. We had this incredibly close bond. She was always singing “You are my sunshine." to me because I had super blonde hair and I was this bright, bubbly kid. So, I was her little sunshine. And that was our song."
Lovella
“She’s the sweetest thing to ever walk the earth. Every parent will say that about their kids, but it’s really true. She’s very independent, funny, and super brave. Bugs are her favorite thing right now. She’s not scared of the dark. She thinks monsters and ghosts are her friends. She’s so sweet and kind to other kids. It’s very fun being her mom!”
The Sunshine Diamond
Creating a memorial diamond to honor her late mother was something that really spoke to Elle’s creativity and spirituality. However, when she learned that she could mix materials, the idea of the “Sunshine Diamond” was born.
“Yellow is the absolute perfect color for a lot of reasons,” explains Elle. “Besides my mom’s love of sunflowers and Mimi’s song, my mom passed during a rare solar eclipse. I knew that sometimes people will hold on until they feel it’s the right moment to go. I was with her, describing the eclipse to her. I said, ‘God’s putting on a spectacular show for your grand entrance into Heaven.’ I don’t know what I believe about the afterlife, but if your soul is going to ascend, that sure seems like the time to do it.”
The diamond will be grown from four unique carbon sources: ashes from both Margaret Rose and Julie, and hair from both Elle and Lovella. “The hair that I sent for myself is from the time I spent with my mom while she was in hospice, and for about two weeks after,” shares Elle. “So, it’s about a month’s worth of hair. Lovella’s hair is actually from her first haircut, which I gave her myself. She has super long hair, and I cut a good two inches off the bottom—all her blondie baby hairs. So I think that will be extra special, preserving that memory of my daughter’s first haircut with the final days I spent with my mom.”
Family Heirloom Vibes
Elle is looking forward to having a beautiful, tangible representation of those she holds dearest together in her Sunshine Diamond. The yellow stone will be cut into a heart-shape, “because I will carry my mom, my mimi, and my daughter in my heart forever,” she says. “I’ll wear it always, and only take it off when I absolutely need to.”
Once her diamond arrives home, she plans to bring the gem to her trusted jeweler in Los Angeles who will use the same gold as her and her husband’s wedding rings to create a short yet stunning chain.
“This diamond definitely has family heirloom vibes,” shares Elle, who already dreams of one day passing down her beloved Sunshine Diamond to Lovella.
Elle and her family will be moving to London soon, and with more tours for her husband’s music career on the horizon, she feels secure in knowing that, no matter where she is in the world, she will always have a bright, tangible memorial of those she holds dearest.
