The Victorian era (1837-1901) was a period of tremendous change, cultural shifts, and social upheaval. It was also a time of intense fascination with symbolism, especially in the realm of fashion and jewelry. During Queen Victoria’s reign, jewelry became a powerful means of personal expression, often conveying messages of love, mourning, social status, and deep emotions. In this blog post, we’ll explore how the Victorians used symbolic jewelry to communicate their inner worlds and how these practices continue to influence modern jewelry designs, including pieces like those crafted by Emma Krafft Jewellery.
1. The Rise of Sentimental Jewelry
One of the most notable aspects of Victorian jewelry was its sentimental nature. Jewelry became a vessel for expressing love, loss, and personal connection. The Victorians were deeply sentimental, and this was reflected in the jewelry they wore. Lockets, rings, and brooches often featured engravings, photographs, and hair mementos, serving as personal keepsakes or tokens of affection.
Lockets were especially popular during the Victorian era, often worn as a reminder of loved ones who were far away or who had passed. These lockets could contain miniature portraits or locks of hair, and they were often exchanged as a symbol of love or friendship. The wearing of hair jewelry—pieces made from woven or molded human hair—became a profound way of preserving the memory of a loved one or marking significant life events.
Tip: A Victorian-inspired pendant from Emma Krafft Jewellery could make a modern, sentimental statement by incorporating meaningful engravings or gemstones that represent personal milestones.
2. The Symbolism of Mourning Jewelry
The Victorian era was marked by a heightened awareness of death, largely due to the high mortality rates and the untimely passing of Queen Victoria’s beloved husband, Prince Albert, in 1861. Mourning jewelry became a way for Victorians to express grief and honor their deceased loved ones. These pieces were not only worn during periods of mourning but were often passed down through generations as family heirlooms.
Mourning jewelry was rich in symbolism. Jet, a black gemstone, was one of the most popular materials used in mourning jewelry, as it was believed to be a fitting tribute to the deceased. Grave stones, skulls, and crosses were common motifs, each symbolizing different stages of grief or beliefs about the afterlife.
Cameos and carved gemstones were also frequently used in mourning jewelry, often featuring symbolic imagery such as weeping women, urns, and birds in flight, signifying the soul's journey. These pieces served as a tangible link to the past and the memory of the departed.
Tip: While mourning jewelry was specific to grief, today’s modern jewelry designers, like Emma Krafft Jewellery, often incorporate vintage-style intaglios or symbols of memory in designs that reflect love and remembrance without the somber tone.
3. The Language of Flowers in Jewelry
The Victorians were fascinated with the language of flowers, also known as floriography, a symbolic system in which flowers and plants were used to convey specific emotions and messages. This trend found its way into jewelry, where floral motifs and gemstone combinations were carefully selected to represent different meanings.
For example, violets symbolized modesty and faithfulness, roses were used to represent love, and lilies symbolized purity and restored innocence. Flowers were often depicted in intricate brooches, rings, and bracelets, giving the wearer the chance to express personal feelings or send a secret message.
Victorians would use their jewelry to subtly communicate emotions, especially in romantic contexts. A sprig of lavender in a brooch could communicate devotion, while a ring adorned with forget-me-nots was a promise of eternal love and remembrance.
Tip: If you're inspired by the Victorian use of floral symbolism, consider a floral signet or custom piece of jewelry from Emma Krafft Jewellery that incorporates specific flowers to symbolize love, loyalty, or remembrance, adding personal meaning to the design.
4. Geometric and Nature-Inspired Designs
During the Victorian era, jewelry designs evolved, moving away from the overly ornate styles of the earlier Georgian period to embrace more intricate and delicate details. The era was divided into three distinct periods—Early Victorian (Romantic), Mid Victorian (Grand), and Late Victorian (Aesthetic)—each with its own design language.
- Early Victorian jewelry featured romantic, soft curves and flowing shapes, with hearts, birds, and ribbons representing love and fidelity.
- Mid Victorian pieces were grander and more elaborate, with the use of cameos, coral, and intricate engravings becoming popular.
- Late Victorian jewelry embraced simpler, nature-inspired designs with motifs like leaves, butterflies, and flowers, reflecting the growing aesthetic appreciation for nature.
These jewelry designs were deeply connected to the Victorians’ fascination with the natural world, as well as their belief in the power of symbols to convey deeper meaning. For example, a butterfly was often seen as a symbol of the soul, while leaves symbolized growth and rebirth.
Tip: Victorian-inspired nature motifs, like those seen in Emma Krafft Jewellery, are a beautiful way to incorporate both elegance and meaning into your collection. Whether it’s a butterfly pendant or a leaf-shaped ring, these designs can serve as timeless representations of life and transformation.
5. The Influence of Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria herself was a significant influence on jewelry trends during her reign. Her own tastes and personal experiences shaped much of the jewelry culture of the time. After the death of Prince Albert, she wore mourning jewelry for the rest of her life, cementing the trend in Victorian society.
Her love for symbolic, sentimental jewelry encouraged many to embrace the idea that jewelry could be more than just an accessory—it could serve as an emotional expression and a reminder of life’s most significant moments. As a result, pieces of jewelry from the Victorian era often conveyed deep personal significance, from romantic relationships to expressions of grief or friendship.
Tip: For a piece that channels Queen Victoria’s personal style, opt for a romantic or mourning-inspired piece, like a vintage intaglio pendant, to carry a piece of history and sentiment in your modern wardrobe.
The Enduring Legacy of Victorian Symbolic Jewelry
The Victorian era’s fascination with symbolic jewelry laid the foundation for many jewelry traditions that continue to influence designers today. Whether through the use of romantic symbols, mourning motifs, or floral language, Victorians infused their jewelry with emotional significance and meaning. This deep connection between jewelry and sentiment is still prevalent in modern jewelry-making, including collections from Emma Krafft Jewellery that honor the timeless beauty of vintage-inspired designs.
Jewelry, for the Victorians, was not merely an accessory—it was a way to communicate, preserve memories, and express the deepest emotions. As we wear and cherish pieces inspired by the Victorian era, we too carry on this rich tradition of symbolic expression and emotional connection.
