Collection: Mourning Jewelry

Mourning jewelry was worn to remember someone who had died. It often held the loved one's hair or bore their initials and dates, using dark materials such as jet, onyx, and black enamel. The tradition became widespread in the Victorian era.

It peaked in the Victorian era, especially after 1861, when Queen Victoria began her long mourning for Prince Albert. Elaborate mourning customs made memorial jewelry a common and socially expected part of grief throughout the later 19th century.

Look for period materials such as real jet, vulcanite, or onyx, hand-woven hairwork, and inscriptions with initials or dates. Modern plastics and machine uniformity are red flags. We identify materials and date each piece, with our authenticity guarantee behind it.

Not at all. Many people wear these pieces for their beauty, craftsmanship, and history rather than their original purpose, and some use them to remember their own loved ones. Each piece is a wearable link to the past.