by Rosanna Carlucci

She knows what day it is. Like a splinter she cant quite get rid of, the pain lingers. She wonders where it all went wrong. Her mind takes her back to the coatroom at the Beaumont where they first kissed. In a bed of mink and cashmere she knew he was the one.

She could still feel his hands, his arms, and his eyes. She loved the way he smelled, like soap and wood. She would never feel him again, his weight, his sweat. The way he made her feel like she could jump from the tallest building and he would be there to catch her. The gold locket around her neck, once a token of his love and devotion was now a heavy reminder of her own empty heart.

And then he was gone, his love was not for her anymore, it was for someone else. Some blonde he met while waiting for a cab in the rain one night after work. He insisted she take the cab and she insisted that he take her heart. And today they were getting married at St. Helen’s and there was nothing she could do…

There is no other piece of jewellery quite like the locket that embodies so much emotion. Love, sadness, joy, pride, and regret all seem to share a space within those tiny windows. The locket itself dates back as early as the 1600’s and continues to remain a token of affection between loved ones. During the Second World War the locket served as a means through which many women would keep photos of their husbands or boyfriends close to their hearts during their absence.

Today, the locket also commemorates special occasions and moments such as the birth of a child or the loss of a loved one. Recreated and redesigned by many, the locket ‘s appeal seems to stem from its ability to discreetly carry one’s innermost secrets.

The company Charmco has beautifully recreated the vintage appeal of the locket in many shapes and sizes. Their website carries many recreations of not only lockets but also many vintage inspired charms and pendants. In addition, they also offer actual vintage lockets and charms for all of life’s occasions.

*Trivia: Some lockets consisted of a small piece of velvet that was dabbed with perfume and framed with a filigree border. These lockets were popular during times when good hygiene was not a possibility for most. The perfumed velvet was supposed to mask body odor.

Vintage inspired lockets available at www.charmco.com