October is Halloween’s month – a time when all things scary, dark and a little bit weird are allowed to come out and play.

Victorian-era jewelry is fashioned from some uncommon design materials – hair, black enamel, coral and seed pearls – and utilizes  themes and motifs such as animals, flora and memory to a fetching end.

Whether it be coral grape cluster earrings, a black enameled locket or a ruby-set snake ring – draping yourself in Victorian jewelry is so much better than wearing a Halloween costume.

Here are a few dark beauties that have me under a spell:

This Knights of Pythias Fob on a Hair Chain ($350) is indeed made from real hair.  Weaving hair jewelry became a popular drawing room pastime during the Victorian era.  As photographs weren’t common, or cheap, at the time, wearing someone’s hair on your person became a tangible substitute.

Knights of Pythias Hair Necklace

Made from calcareous skeltons of marine animals, otherwise known as coral, these  Coral Grape Cluster Earrings ($1500) are a great example of the popularity of coral jewelry during the Victorian era. Victorians loved coral, both because it was believed to posses the power to ward off evil and danger, and for its ease to work with – it also fills the perfect niche for designs calling for accents of leaves and flowers.

Coral Grape Cluster Earrings

It’s crazy that not even the delicate seed pearls of this Victorian Pearl and Enamel Locket ($1200) are its most beautiful design feature. The face is also decorated with fine lines of black enamel and a raised floral pattern that gives it a feeling both goth and romantic.

Victorian Pearl and Enamel Locket

After being a hit at the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London in 1851, enameling was revivied in many forms during the 19th century. A fine example is this Black Trace Enamel Gold Bangle Bracelet ($985). For me, the design conjures aspects  of embellished 19th century architecture.

Black Trace Enamel Gold Bangle Bracelet

I will not repeat that snake line from Indiana Jones when describing snake jewelry ever, ever again. That said, I love snakes, as did the Victorians. While some may view them as slithery, and slightly creepy, I say yes, they are, and that is just their allure. This Ruby Set Snake Ring ($850) has slithered its way into my heart, and perhaps onto my hand?

Ruby Set Snake Ring

Tags: coral earrings, hair jewelry, Locket, snake ring, victorian.

The early 1940s saw the onset of World War II, and although the war made the fashions of the time more austere and fitted, wedding fashion stayed romantic.

Wedding jewelry of the time leaned toward more sentimental pieces – lockets, pendant necklaces and, more noticeably, cross necklaces. Dresses of the time were fitted, some brides got married in two-piece dress suits, and tended towards more elaborate necklines. Some brides even got married in their own military wear.

Many brides were marrying their army sweethearts before they were shipped off to war, so wearing a locket on your wedding could hold double meaning- to keep the memory of your wedding, and of your husband, with you always.

This Diamond Set Locket ($985) and this Heart Locket ($450) harken back to that sentimental feeling of memory and faraway love.

While many brides opted for simple weddings officiated by a justice of the peace, traditional church weddings still occurred.

For the modern girl that wants to showcase her Catholic or Christian faith at her wedding, a cross is a perfect wedding accessory. This Diamond Cross Necklace ($1800), set with both round brilliant and rose cut diamonds, is a particularly beautiful example.

Tags: Crosses, Locket.