The Untold History of Mourning Jewelry in the Victorian Era: From Macabre Mementos to Modern Masterpieces

Picture this: you’re at a fancy Victorian dinner party, and your hostess is wearing a stunning black jet necklace that catches the candlelight. “Lovely piece,” you remark. “Thank you,” she sighs dramatically. “It’s for my late husband, Reginald. He passed last Tuesday.” Awkward! Welcome to the world of Victorian mourning jewelry, where fashion and funeral met in the most spectacularly morbid ways. Before you think this is all doom and gloom, let me tell you–these pieces tell stories of love, loss, and a society that turned grief into wearable art. And believe it or not, the aesthetic is making a major comeback in modern estate and vintage jewelry collections.

Queen Victoria basically invented the goth aesthetic long before teenagers discovered black eyeliner. When her beloved Prince Albert died in 1861, she plunged the entire British Empire into a forty-year mourning period that would make even the most dramatic among us say, “Okay, maybe tone it down a notch?” She wore black for the rest of her life, and suddenly, everyone who was anyone needed an entire wardrobe of mourning clothes and jewelry. It was the Victorian equivalent of trending on TikTok–if your mourning wasn’t on point, you were basically socially canceled.

Not Just Black: The Color-Coded Guide to Victorian Grief

Victorians didn’t just throw on any old black outfit and call it a day. Oh no, they had a whole system. First came “Full Mourning,” which lasted about a year. This meant head-to-toe black, including jewelry made from jet, a fossilized wood that polished to a deep, shiny black. Think of it as the little black dress of despair. Next came “Second Mourning,” where you could introduce some amethyst jewelry or darker garnet jewelry–the Victorian equivalent of “I’m still sad, but I might go to brunch.” Finally, “Ordinary Mourning” allowed for pearl jewelry and some lighter colors. Pearls were particularly popular because their teardrop shape was just too perfectly symbolic to resist.

Wait, Is That Hair? Yes, Yes It Is.

Now for the part that makes modern folks squirm: hair jewelry. Victorians would save locks of hair from their deceased loved ones and have them woven into incredibly intricate pieces. We’re talking bracelets, necklaces, even elaborate rings and earrings made from human hair. Before you say “ew,” think about it: what could be more personal? In a time before photography was common, having a piece of your loved one literally with you was the ultimate connection. It’s like carrying a lock of your partner’s hair in your wallet, but with way more craftsmanship and significantly less creep factor. Okay, maybe slightly less creep factor.

Symbolism That Would Make a Poet Blush

Every element of mourning jewelry was dripping with meaning. Serpents eating their own tails? That’s eternity, baby. You’ll see this motif in many serpent jewelry pieces today. Willows weeping? Obviously, grief. Urns? The vessel for ashes, naturally. But my personal favorite has to be the acorn–it symbolized the mighty oak that grew from it, representing the strength and potential of the soul in the afterlife. It’s enough to make you look at that tree of life jewelry in your collection with new eyes, isn’t it?

The Ultimate In Personalization: Memorial Messages

Forget engraving “I <3 U” on the inside of a engagement ring–Victorians went all out. Lockets would contain miniature portraits of the deceased, sometimes even painted on ivory. Rings might have the person’s name, date of death, and a cheerful sentiment like “Not Lost But Gone Before” or “In Heaven There Is Rest.” Morbid? Absolutely. But also incredibly romantic in a “my heart will go on” sort of way. This tradition of personalization lives on today in our love for lockets and initial rings.

From Queen Victoria to Queen Bey: The Modern Revival

Fast forward to today, and the aesthetic of mourning jewelry is having a major moment–minus, you know, the actual mourning part. Designers from Cartier to Sofer Jewelry have created pieces that nod to this dramatic era. The love for dark, dramatic stones like onyx jewelry and the continued popularity of cross jewelry all owe a tip of the hat to our Victorian ancestors. Even the heart pendants we adore today have their roots in sentimental Victorian pieces.

How to Rock the Mourning Jewelry Look Today (Without Freaking People Out)

So how do you incorporate this historically heavy style into your modern wardrobe without looking like you’re headed to a funeral? Easy! Mix a dramatic piece of black diamond jewelry with your everyday jeans and tee. A tennis necklace featuring black diamonds makes a stunning statement. Or try a cocktail ring with a dark stone as your conversation piece. “This old thing? It’s just my tribute to 19th-century mourning practices. Pass the avocado toast?” Brands like Charles Krypell and EFFY often incorporate these dramatic elements in surprisingly wearable ways.

At Robinson’s Jewelers, we appreciate how jewelry tells stories–whether they’re stories of celebration, love, or even remembrance. The next time you fasten a bracelet or admire a diamond piece, remember the Victorians who turned their deepest sorrow into breathtaking art. And if you’re feeling particularly dramatic, we’ve got plenty of pieces that would make Queen Victoria herself nod in approval–no actual mourning required. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to accessorize my grief over the last slice of pizza being gone. Some traditions are worth keeping alive.