The team at Engravers Guild of London is delighted to cut the ribbon on our new collection of engraved lockets.
Jewellery so very often is bought to give as token of a sentiment, but none so is this more true than for a locket. With the design of a locket being so as to hold something precious – whether that be a photo, a lock of hair or a memento of some kind – the locket epitomises the expression of a sentiment.
Now most commonly worn on a chain around the neck, lockets have taken many guises over the years.
Queen Elizabeth I famously wore a locket on her ring, containing a portrait of her mother Anne Boleyn and herself. Only on her deathbed was it removed, and is now reportedly kept at the Prime Minister’s country residence at Chequers.
Indeed, the fortunes of the locket have run closely with the styles of kings and queens.
Following the execution of Charles I, his loyal male followers were known to wear an image of the king in a locket. And, come the nineteenth century, Prince Albert gifted Queen Victoria a bracelet with eight lockets each containing a curl of each of their children’s hair.
The royal couple again were to define a new fashion for the locket, however under much more unfortunate circumstances. Upon the death of Prince Albert, the Queen wore a mourning locket for the rest of her life and made the accessory a common gift at funerals and commemorations.
However, the personalised locket found new purpose in the twentieth century, as it became the most commonly gifted item by soldiers heading overseas in the World Wars. Thousands upon thousands were being sold each year, with mass produced models available for just a shilling.
Today, we’re pleased to bring to market a unique selection of engraved sterling silver lockets. Each one has been exquisitely finished, with our usual guarantee of expert engraving on every piece.