Sentimental jewelry


Sentiment jewelry is a special name for jewelry that was worn in the 19th century. These are jewels that we wore in memory of the loved one or passed away. Often these jewels contain inscriptions or symbols, or even elements reminding the person for whom this jewel is intended. It can be hair or even teeth sometimes. In a “Memento Mori” or mourning jewelry context, the recurring symbols are the weeping willow, the hair, the urn. In the love context we find hidden messages, flaming hearts but also locks of hair, names. And they often feature words like “friendship” or illustrations of pansy flowers. They also sometimes have puns made with the colors of the stones.

These sentimental jewelry can have all of these elements. These are sought-after and rare jewels, real collector’s items. Here is the selection of Maison Mohs

Filters
Done

    Filtre Par Matériel -

    Filtre par Pierre -

    Filtre par époque -

    Filtrer par prix

41 Products


Filtre Par Matériel -

Filtre par Pierre -

Filtre par époque -

Filtrer par prix

  • Pendentif effeuiller la marguerite en émail plique a jourLove un peu beaucoup medal pendant
    1300,00

    Art Nouveau “un peu, beaucoup” love medal in 18 karat gold. Love medal from the Art Nouveau period, decorated with two daisies on a blue plique-à-jour enamel background and bearing the words “little” and “lot” in French. This refers to the game of “thinning out the daisy”, meant to reflect the love of the beloved.

    Enameled Art Nouveau medal, circa 1900, France.

    Eagle head hallmark (french state hallmark for 18 karat gold)

    Height (with clasp): 25 mm
    Width: 18 mm

    Condition: slight scratches and cracks in the enamel

    Weight : 3.31 gr

    *The antique gold chain is not sold with the jewel*
    See our antique chains

  • Gold photo locket pendant
    600,00

    Victorian hexagonal photo pendant in 18 karat yellow gold (750). Antique hexagonal pendant, the gold outline is decorated with crosses, symbolizing attachment. The upper part, below the bezel, unscrews to open the pendant and release two beveled glasses. A photo, flower or lock of hair can be slipped inside. Antique pendant, late 19th century, France.

    Eagle head hallmark (french state hallmark for 18 karat gold)

    Height (with bezel): 4 cm
    Width: 2.4 cm

    Condition : scratches from use

    Weight : 5.43 gr

    *The antique gold chain is not sold with the jewel*
    See our antique chains

  • Augis love medal in goldAugis love medal medium size
    860,00

    Medium-sized Augis Love medal in 18 karat yellow gold. Circular love medal pendant, with the “+” sign in raised white gold and the “-” sign set with two calibrated synthetic rubies. The medal is encircled by a stylized ribbon. The pendant bears a quote from a letter by poetess Rosmonde Gérard to her love, Edmond Rostand, the author of Cyrano de Bergerac: “Car, vois-tu, chaque jour je t’aime davantage, Aujourd’hui plus qu’hier et bien moins que demain” (“For, you see, each day I love you more, today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow”). Inspired by these two lovers, Alphonse Augis condensed these lines into his “Plus qu’hier moins que demain” love medals. Vintage love medal, circa 1960, by Augis.

    Signed A.Augis

    Height with bail: 30 mm
    Diameter: 21 mm

    Condition: light wear scratches, small repair mark on the bail

    Weight: 3.44 gr

    *The antique box and the chain are not sold with the jewel*
    See our antique chains

  • georgian swivel gold ringbague reliquaire en or
    2000,00

    Georgian sentimental swivel ring in 18k gold. This georgian ring features a rectangular swivel bezel, with one side containing two intertwined locks of hair—one blonde, the other brown—alongside the names “Alix” and “Virginie,” and the other side displaying a flatly braided hair rectangle. A sentimental ring representing two lovers from the early 19th century, France.

    Hallmark: rooster facing right (1798-1809, France)

    Ring size: 60 EU or 9 US

    Swivel bezel dimensions: 21 x 13 mm

    Condition: wear scratches, slight dent inside the band, some hair detached.

    Weight: 3.68 gr

    Sentimental jewelry, often known as mourning or lover’s jewelry, was particularly popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. These pieces frequently incorporated personal elements like hair, inscriptions, or miniature portraits, serving as intimate mementos of loved ones. Hairwork, in particular, was a cherished practice, symbolizing enduring connections and memories.

  • Gold single earringBlack gold single mono earring
    140,00

    Single black dormeuse earring in 18 karat rose gold (750/1000). Unique dormeuse earring decorated with black glass imitating jet, known as “verre de Paris.” The glass is pointed and decorated with a grid pattern. Antique single earring, circa 1830, France. Unmatched piece.

    Hallmark: ram’s head (1819-1838, french state hallmark for 18 karat gold)

    Height: 18 mm
    Width: 9 mm

    Condition: wear and tear. This earring is sold individually.

    Weight: 1.31 gr

  • pendentif médaillon en or
    540,00

    Laurel crown photo locket pendant in 18 karat yellow gold. Sentimental pendant that opens to hold a souvenir under a curved glass. The gold circle is decorated with a laurel crown. Antique French pendant, 1900.

    Eagle head hallmark (french state hallmark for 18 karat gold) and goldsmith’s hallmark.

    Height with bezel: 35 mm
    Diameter: 25 mm
    Thickness: 3 mm

    Condition: scratches from use

    Weight: 4.67 gr

    *The antique gold chain is not sold with the jewel*

  • pendentif étoile d'amour rubis en orStar of love gold pendant
    430,00

    “Star of Love” parchment pendant in 18 karat yellow gold. Parchment-shaped pendant decorated with a star set with a round synthetic ruby, accompanied by the words “Étoile d’amour” (Star of Love) in relief. The reverse side of the medal is undecorated. Vintage Étoile d’Amour medal, circa 1970.

    Eagle head hallmark (french state hallmark for 18 karat gold) and French maker’s mark.

    Height (with clasp): 23 mm
    Width: 13 mm

    Condition: scratches from use

    Weight : 1.13 gr

    *The antique gold chain is not sold with the jewel*

  • Pendentif 13 émaillé en orLucky 13 pendant in gold
    530,00

    Lucky 13 pendant enameled in 18 karat yellow gold. Heart-shaped pendant decorated with the number 13 enameled in midnight blue. Lucky pendant from the 1920s, France.

    Eagle’s head hallmark (french state hallmark for 18 karat gold)

    Height with bélière: 25 mm
    Width: 18 mm

    Condition : small lacks of enamel

    Weight : 1.16 gr

    *The antique gold chain is not sold with the jewel*
    See our antique chains

     

  • Antique secret locket ring in gold
    1250,00

    Gold signet secret ring in 18 karat gold. Opening secret ring, decorated on the plate with the letter J in calligraphy. The ring opens to reveal a secret compartment that can conceal a photo or souvenir. The shoulders of the ring are delicately decorated with a ribbon motif. Antique sentiment ring, late 19th century. Owl hallmarks (18k gold)

    Finger size: 52 EU or 6 US (can be changed)

    Tray dimensions: 13 x 11 mm

    Inner cavity dimensions: 11 x 8 mm

    Condition: slight wear scratches, compartment closes well

    Weight : 3.76 gr

    *The antique box is not sold with the jewel*

  • Preowned love star ruby pendant medalPendentif étoile d'amour vintage en or
    670,00

    Étoile d’Amour medal in 18 karat rose gold (750). Medal from the 1960s, decorated with a shooting star set with a flying synthetic ruby above the words “Étoile d’amour” (Star of Love). The reverse of the medal is not engraved. Vintage sentimental jewelry, France, 60’s.

    Eagle head hallmark (french state hallmark for 18 karat gold) and goldsmith’s hallmark.

    Height with bezel: 30 mm
    Width: 21 mm

    Weight: 1.53 gr

    *The antique gold chain is not sold with the jewel*
    See our antique chains

  • mourning ring in goldantique braided hair ring
    560,00

    Georgian mourning hair ring in 14k pink gold. An antique locket ring keeping a braid of hair enclosed behind glass crystal. It is framed by a halo of 16 seed pearls and the settings is formed by two separated strands adorned with an openwork pattern. Jewel from the beginning of the 19th century, circa 1810-1830.

    Finger size: 53 EU or 6.5 US (adjustment possible)

    Ring Head Size: 11 x 11mm

    Condition: old trace of size adjustment, wears on the glass, indentations behind the head of the ring.

    Weight: 2.11 gr

    Hair jewellery was very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Jewellery with compartments made it possible to keep a lock of hair of a lover or a missing person (later it will be the photograph). It can be a medallion or a ring for example.  There are also jewels made from hair, such as necklaces, chains, bracelets and rings. These hair jewels are worked like textiles: they are woven, embroidered, twisted. A whole craft industry developed around this new fashion, which lasted until the end of the 19th century.

    Read our article “how to recognize a real pearl?”

    *The antique box is not sold with the jewel*

  • Man portrait ring in goldBague de deuil en or
    880,00

    Victorian photo portrait enamel ring in 18 karat gold (750). Victorian sentimental ring with a photograph on enamel depicting a portrait of a man. The photograph is sepia-toned, and the man is dressed in late 19th-century fashion. The ring is set in gold, highly decorated with foliage. Sentimental ring, circa 1860-1870, France.

    Eagle head hallmark

    Size: 61 UE or 9.5 Us (can be changed)

    Bezel size: 2 x 2 mm

    Condition: scratches to the enamel, small lack at the bottom.

    Weight: 3.08 g

    More info: In 1854, Lafon de Camarsac invented photographic enamels, and was one of the first to fix photographic images on metal and ceramic materials. Working with Eugène Disdéri, he joined forces with photographers François Martial Pinel Peschardière (1858-1862) and Étienne-Prosper Berne-Bellecour (1864-1865).

    *The antique box is not sold with the jewel*