One of the most endearing jewelry pieces you could ever purchase or receive is a locket because it is an intimate form of sentiment. I wondered about the very first locket design and how it came about. Did the craftsmen have a love and want to express it through his craft? Was he commissioned to make one for a person of royalty?
Did someone envision a personal way to keep their love close to their heart and describe the design to an artisan? A locket opens to reveal a special place to put photos or a small lock of hair. It can be associated with the Victorian age that was from 1837-1901. Jewelry lockets are crafted in sterling silver and gold and come in the shapes of ovals, circles, rectangles, and the popular heart shape. I believe the sentiment behind lockets has a pull on the heart strings today just as it did then.
Beautiful lockets have been captured in many story lines of books and movies. The Little Princess has Sarah (played by Shirley Temple) owning a treasured locket with a photo of her mother who had passed away. We the audience become outraged when the owner of the boarding school takes it from the believed to be orphaned girl. In the American Girl books, Samantha who lives in Victorian times owns a special locket. In the Love Comes Softly novels by Janette Oke, a locket is passed from one family member to another. The romantic and legacy minded people easily relate to those with an endearing locket story because this special jewelry piece makes a strong heart connection.
From little girls to grown women we are thrilled to receive a locket especially if it is from a dear loved one. I remember my first locket was from a close school chum when I was in eighth grade. We loved jewelry and were at the mall and went in Bailey Banks and Biddle. They had small 10K gold lockets in their sales case marked on clearance. We bought each other a locket and proudly placed them on chains. Same idea as the best friend charms girls give each other today. We never put photos in our lockets but we enjoyed wearing them and thinking of our friendship. I still have the tiny locket in my jewelry box and fond memories. Lockets can also be given to another to remember a loved one who has passed on. Jewelry can be very comforting and help link us to our past.
Jewelry lockets made from gold or sterling silver are treasured pieces. Sterling silver lockets are more affordable than gold and can be simply elegant with the detailed silver craftsmanship. I hope I inspired you to purchase a locket for your little girl, for a dear friend, or for the love of your life. It is extra thoughtful and sweet to enclose a photo in the locket so they can open it and see you or that special someone anytime their heart desires.
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