Victorian Locket
Lockets became popular in the Victorian era. The romance of the age meant lockets were worn hung next to the heart. This showed the closeness of a loved one. Lockets were also used as containers for small amounts of perfume. The perfume was soaked into cotton wool and put inside the locket. This was largely down to the fact that hygiene in the Victorian period wasn’t as good. Victorian lockets tend to be very ornate and utilitarian at the same time.
Jewelry of the Victorian period is as lovely and ornate as the furnishings and clothing of that era. This is certainly true of Victorian lockets. These lockets are made from many different materials and they had many functions also. Lockets can be found in gold and silver and are either ornately inscribed or encrusted with seed pearls, stones or enamel designs.
Victorian lockets were often given as declarations of love and include portraits of the hopeful suitor. Other lockets memorialize a departed child or other beloved family member and may contain a lock of hair along with a portrait and, perhaps, the date of death of the loved one. Other lockets were to honor particular celebrations, such as Christmas or birthdays. Religious themes and group emblems are also popular. Some lockets were intended to be souvenirs of places visited while traveling.
