The Secret History of the Locket: From a Place for a Loved One's Hair to a Symbol of Love
That little locket you wear close to your heart has a secret life you wouldn't believe. Forget what you know about simple photo holders—these miniature treasure chests have been everything from medieval bodyguards against evil spirits to containers for poison (yes, really!), royal bribes, political propaganda, and yes, even the occasional love token. What began as a gold pendant for holy relics has transformed into the ultimate symbol of connection we know today. Let's crack open the fascinating, sometimes bizarre, and often romantic history of why we tuck our most precious memories into these tiny metal capsules.
The journey from sacred amulet to sentimental staple is packed with more drama than a royal court. From warriors carrying locks of hair into battle to queens using them as diplomatic tools, the locket has always been about keeping what matters most literally close to the heart. Their evolution mirrors our own human need to connect, remember, and sometimes, to secretly rebel.
Holy bling: The locket's divine beginnings
Long before they held boyfriend photos, lockets were the ultimate spiritual sidekicks. In medieval Europe, the earliest lockets were actually reliquaries—small pendants designed to hold holy relics like fragments of bone or hair from martyred saints. People genuinely believed these tokens could perform miracles, heal the sick, and protect the wearer from both physical and spiritual evils. Think of them as the medieval version of a wellness tracker, but with more bone fragments and fewer step counts.
These weren't just for the common folk, either. The 1380 inventory of Louis d'Anjou lists 'petits reliquaries d'or a porter sur soy' (little gold reliquaries to wear upon your person), showing that at the highest levels of society, holy lockets were the ultimate power accessory. One spectacular example was a holy thorn from Christ's Crown of Thorns, set into an amethyst and enamelled locket—a diplomatic gift from French king Louis IX that would make any modern diamond jewelry look pretty insignificant by comparison.
Royal bribes and hidden agendas: The Renaissance locket
When the Renaissance hit, lockets got a serious upgrade and became tools of power, politics, and persuasion. Portrait miniatures became the hottest trend in courtly circles, and lockets were their perfect home. Known as 'boîtes a portrait' in French, these jewels served as prestigious diplomatic gifts and signs of royal favor.
In 1526, Marguerite, duchesse d'Alençon, sent pictures of her two sons—set in finely worked gold lockets—to King Henry VIII. Her children were hostages at the court of Emperor Charles V, and she hoped the lockets would pull at Henry's heartstrings enough to gain his support. Talk about a high-stakes gift! Receiving a jewel set with the ruler's portrait was a great honor, and wearing it was the Renaissance equivalent of having the boss's family photo on your desk—but with more beheading potential if you picked the wrong side.
This was also when lockets began their career in political rebellion. After the execution of King Charles I in 1649, his supporters wore miniature portraits of him hidden inside lockets as a secret political statement. The outside might look innocent, but the inside revealed your true loyalties—the 17th century version of a rebellious band t-shirt worn under a uniform.
Hair today, gone tomorrow: The Victorian obsession
If you think your heart pendant is sentimental, you should have seen what the Victorians were up to. The 19th century was when lockets reached peak popularity and emotional intensity, thanks largely to Queen Victoria herself. After Prince Albert's death, she famously wore mourning lockets containing his photograph and locks of his hair, setting off a trend that had everyone from aristocrats to factory workers preserving pieces of their loved ones.
But it wasn't all about mourning. Locks of hair in transparent heart-shaped lockets became a powerful symbol of romantic love. In Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, the mere mention of a miniature portrait and a lock of hair was enough to assume a marriage proposal was imminent. The Victorians took 'giving a piece of yourself' quite literally, and frankly, it beats the modern equivalent of sharing a Netflix password.
This era also saw lockets become more accessible thanks to the Industrial Revolution. No longer just for the wealthy, mass production meant that nearly everyone could own a locket. By 1871, the Queen magazine declared that 'Lockets … are considered indispensable with morning costumes.' They were worn by men, women, and even children, though men typically kept theirs more private—tucked under shirts or attached to watch chains in their waistcoats.
War and remembrance: Lockets in conflict
During both World Wars, lockets took on new significance as tokens of connection between soldiers and their loved ones back home. Soldiers would give lockets with their photographs to family members as reminders to wait for them, while they often carried lockets with pictures of their sweethearts into battle. These small treasures provided comfort in unimaginable circumstances—a tangible piece of home in the midst of chaos.
This tradition built on earlier practices from the American Civil War, where lockets often contained locks of hair since photography wasn't yet widely accessible. The emotional weight these small objects carried is almost unimaginable—they weren't just jewelry but lifelines to normalcy, love, and the reason to keep fighting.
The modern locket: Your story, beautifully preserved
Today's lockets honor this rich history while embracing modern personalization. At Robinson's Jewelers, we've seen how the timeless appeal of keeping your loved ones close continues to resonate. Whether it's a personalized piece holding photos of children, a locket containing a lock of hair from a newborn, or a special token remembering a beloved pet, the fundamental human desire to carry our treasures with us hasn't changed.
Modern technology has only expanded the possibilities, with beautifully crafted lockets available in everything from sterling silver to lab-grown diamond encrusted pieces that would make Renaissance royalty jealous. The magic happens when you make it your own—adding engraved messages, carefully selected photos, or even combining modern elements with vintage-inspired designs.
Find your forever locket at Robinson's Jewelers
From holy relics to hidden portraits, political statements to wartime comfort, the locket has carried our most precious secrets for centuries. It's witnessed our joys, our griefs, our rebellions, and our most tender loves—all while hanging quietly around our necks.
Ready to start your own locket story? Explore our stunning collection of necklaces and find the perfect vessel for your memories. Whether you're drawn to the classic elegance of a vintage-inspired piece or the clean lines of a modern design, you're participating in a tradition that spans centuries. Because the most powerful stories aren't just the ones we tell—they're the ones we wear close to our hearts, always.