Floral Engraved Locket
A floral engraved locket holds a miniature portrait or lock of hair beneath hand-cut foliage, offering a tangible piece of personal history.
Floral Engraved Locket
When you search for a floral engraved locket, you encounter hinged pendants designed to secure small mementoes close to the heart. The selection centres on Victorian and Edwardian examples, alongside pieces from the nineteen-thirties reflecting Art Deco and French Belle Epoque sensibilities.
Forms range from circular and oval shapes to shields, hearts, and teardrops. Many pieces arrive paired with matching silver or gold chains, ready to wear.
How they were made
Goldsmiths and silversmiths utilised nine carat and eighteen carat yellow gold, sterling silver, and gold back and front construction methods. The exterior surfaces carry hand-engraved motifs depicting flowers, roses, leaves, wreaths, and swallow birds.
Many examples incorporate gemstones such as rubies, emeralds, turquoise, seed pearls, and marcasite to accent the metallic foliage and floral centres.
Tiny engraved swallow birds frequently accompany floral wreaths to symbolize safe return.
What varies in quality
Depth and clarity dictate the success of the engraving work, where crisply defined leaf veins and petals distinguish superior execution from worn surface scoring. The crispness of the hinge and snap closure indicates the original precision of the workshop.
Material density and the presence of integrated gemstones elevate certain examples above simpler silver or gold gilt variants. Well-preserved interior bezels and glass frames further separate standard production items from finer presentation pieces.
The Floral Engraved Locket Glossary
- Gold Back and Front
- A method where a thin sheet of solid gold is fused to a base metal core for durability and affordability. This technique allowed makers to produce robust lockets without excessive weight.
- Hinged Domed Locket
- A locket constructed with a rounded, convex front cover attached by a working hinge. The raised dome provides internal depth for small photographs or woven hair.
- Marcasite
- Small, faceted pieces of iron pyrite set into silver mounts to resemble diamonds. The stones add a dark, metallic sparkle typical of period evening jewellery.
- Seed Pearl
- Very small natural or cultured pearls, often threaded or bead-set into floral clusters. They provide a soft, creamy contrast against yellow gold and silver.
- Shield Medal Pendant
- A locket or pendant shaped like a heraldic shield, frequently originating from French workshops. These pieces often display complex hand-engraved wreaths and floral sprays.
Floral Engraved Locket: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I open an old locket?
Most lockets utilise a small thumbnail catch or a spring-loaded hinge mechanism. Gently check the edge opposite the hinge for a tiny indentation to release the cover.
Avoid prying with metal tools, as this can damage the gold or silver rim and distort the closure.
Can I put a modern photo inside?
Original bezels and paper frames often remain inside these pieces, though modern photographs require trimming to fit the exact interior shape. Scissors and a light template help match the contours of circular, oval, or heart compartments.
Take care not to force thick cardstock into delicate gold back and front frames.
How do I clean engraved silver?
Soft cotton cloths remove oils and surface tarnish without abrading the fine hand-engraved lines. Liquid dips risk stripping the natural dark patina from recessed floral details.
Store silver pieces away from humid environments to slow future oxidation.
What does gold back and front mean?
This technique sandwiches a base metal core between outer layers of solid gold. It gave Victorian buyers the appearance and wear properties of solid gold at a lower cost.
The hallmarks or stamps on these pieces often denote the specific gold standard used for the outer sheets.