Vintage 18ct Yellow Gold Seed Pearl Set Oval Pendant

This 1900s pendant is a classic Victorian memorial piece, made from 18ct gold and hung from a 15ct gold oval belcher link chain, a purity that was legal in Britain from 1854 until it was officially discontinued in 1932, making genuine 15ct chains like this one increasingly hard to find today. The oval shape holding a lock of hair or a small photograph reflects the Victorian custom of keeping a tangible remembrance of a loved one close to the body, a tradition that intensified after Prince Albert's death in 1861 when Queen Victoria's decades-long mourning made such jewelry widely fashionable.

The border of seed pearls was a hugely popular Victorian motif symbolizing purity, tears of the mourner, and eternal remembrance, frequently used to frame mourning lockets and pendants exactly like this one. Seed pearls were prized because they added intricate, delicate detail affordably, since larger pearls were far costlier, making this border style a fitting complement to the pendant's sentimental purpose.

The pendant's quality materials and craftsmanship is typical of well-made Victorian memorial jewelry intended to be treasured and passed down.

Pendant Dimensions: 22mm x 28mm

Pendant rests on a 46cm 15ct yellow gold oval belcher link chain.

This is an estate item and comes with a one year guarantee.