Mourning Jewellery

Mourning jewellery was made to commemorate a deceased person and was particularly popular during the Victorian period.

Pieces could incorporate black enamel, jet, onyx, seed pearls, hair, miniature portraits, inscriptions or other personal elements associated with the deceased. Rings, brooches, pendants, lockets and bracelets were all commonly made as mourning jewels.

Mourning jewellery became especially prominent during the Victorian era, when elaborate customs surrounding death, bereavement and remembrance influenced fashion and personal adornment. Following the death of Prince Albert in 1861, Queen Victoria’s prolonged mourning helped popularise sombre mourning styles throughout society.

Not all mourning jewellery was entirely black or sombre. Some pieces incorporated symbolic motifs, woven hair, memorial inscriptions or gemstones chosen for their meaning. The personal nature of these objects makes them particularly important to collectors and historians.

Period: Particularly Victorian
Typical materials: Jet, enamel, onyx, pearls, gold, silver and hair
Characteristic features: Memorial inscriptions, mourning symbols, black materials and personal keepsakes

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Weldons

We love jewellery!! Weldons is a fourth generation family jewellers with over 100 years experience in supplying top grade certificated diamonds and rare and unusual pieces of jewellery for every occasion. We specialise in one-off pieces of vintage and estate jewellery, engagement rings and anniversary rings. We also stock one of the widest ranges of antique Irish silver in the world, from rare 17th and 18th century pieces to modern giftware and tableware.