Lockets are a timeless jewelry piece that can be worn as a single pendant, within a cluster of necklaces, or on a charm bracelet. The locket gained popularity during Medieval Europe; originally lockets were of a metal filigree design and held a small absorbent cushion meant to hold a few drops of perfume, along with the perfumed ‘favors’ (daintily embroidered kerchiefs), were used during a time when bathing regularly did not occur. Later lockets became popular with Queen Victoria of England.  As we’ve mentioned Queen Victoria was the fashion maven of her time, but one locket in particular held such a personal value to her she had it cloistered at Windsor Castle.  The locket is a special white gold and rock crystal piece that holds a portion of Prince Albert’s hair sent to her 1867 by Prince Albert’s nurse, Prince Albert had passed away in 1861.  This piece held such significance to the Queen that she left special instructions for the locket, and several other pieces, to not be dispersed to any family members and remain at Windsor Castle in the ‘Albert Room’ where he had passed away. Typically, someone would give a locket with their own photograph to the recipient to remember them by. Other uses of the locket are as above, with a lock of hair, or to hold religious scripture. During the Victorian Age a common style of the locket was to be on a spinner, such as seen by this beautiful, large, 14 K yellow gold locket at Van Scoy. The locket continued to play a role in modern fashion and film. During WWI and WWII very rare military buttons with working compasses were designed. This was specialized by the Brits and issued to pilots, aviators and anyone needing to have an incognito, but accurate method to determine direction. In the 1994 movie, The Client, Susan Sarandon’s character loyally wears a locket that holds a small compass so she’ll never lose her way. In the epically popular Harry Potter books and movies Salazar Slytherin’s locket is used by Lord Voldemort as a horcrux. As the fashion genre Steampunk has grown in popularity over the last two decades, contemporizing Victorian fashion around mechanization, the locket has gained new appreciation. Lockets come in silver, two-tone colors, gemmed with precious and semi-precious stones.  With Van Scoy you can find standard lockets, spinning, or those that hold multiple photos, perfect for larger families such as shown here! Take a look through our locket selection and we know you’ll be happy with so many choices to fit any special occasion.