In today’s Ominous October blog series, let’s talk about the phenomena of mourning jewelry, or as I lovingly call it, goth jewelry. Humans have always mourned death together, in fact, today’s version of mourning by yourself is very different from the most of human history. From 1837 to 1901, Queen Victoria ruled England, and it was marked by both her love story and her mourning story.
Victoria and Albert met when she was 17, heir to the throne, and they both instantly fell in love! She wrote in her diary: "He is extremely handsome; his hair is about the same colour as mine; his eyes are large & blue & he has a beautiful nose & a very sweet mouth with fine teeth." Since tradition says no sitting Monarch can be proposed to, Victoria ended up proposing to Albert!
They were married for 21 years before tragedy struck and Prince Albert passed away due to health issues. The Queen was devastated, describing in a letter, “… to be cut off in the prime of life - to see our pure happy, quiet domestic life, which alone enabled me to bear my much disliked position, cut off at forty-two - when I had hoped with such instinctive certainty that God never would part us, and would let us grow old together ... - is too awful, too cruel!” She went into mourning for the rest of her reign.
Queen Victoria had such an impact on jewelry fashion that there is an entire era of jewelry from her 63 year reign called Victorian jewelry. It is divided, though, with earlier pieces being full of diamonds and color, speaking to her joy in romance, and the pieces after Prince Albert passing, speaking to her great grief. The Queen began expressing her grief in her clothing and jewelry. She wore lockets, crosses, urns, cameos, and black onyx. She inspired the nation (and the world) to use jewelry to express their grief with jewelry, as well. There was even a big trend to use the hair of the deceased loved one in the design (see picture above).
While wearing mourning jewelry is not popular today, we do wear jewelry passed down to us from loved ones to celebrate and remember them. They remind us of the life they lived and help us to feel close to them. Jewelry isn’t just some pretty bauble, but is a connection, and it always means something more!
I would love to help you with your jewelry! Angela Cisneros Jewelry Concierge brings back the joy and confidence of jewelry shopping so that you can celebrate with ease! My by-appointment approach means:
One-on-one appointments (personal attention and no crowds!)
Discretion and privacy (surprises remain surprises!)
Expert help from a Graduate Gemologist with 27 years of experience (yep, that’s me!)
Learn more about me and my process: www.AngelaCisneros.com
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Ring pictured is from: https://www.langantiques.com/victorian-mourning-ring-with-woven-hair-and-seed-pearls.html
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