Locket

Locket

A locket is a pendant that opens to reveal a space used for storing a photograph or other small item such as a curl of hair. Lockets are usually given to loved ones on holidays such as Valentine's Day and occasions such as Christenings, weddings and, most noticeably during the Victorian Age, funerals.

Lockets are generally worn on chains around the neck and often hold a photo of the person who gave the locket, or they could form part of a charm bracelet. They come in many shapes such as ovals, hearts and circles and are usually made of precious metals such as gold and silver befitting their status as decorative jewellery.

Lockets usually hold only one or two photographs, but some specially made lockets can hold up to eight. Some lockets have been fashioned as 'spinner' lockets, where the bail that attaches to the necklace chain is attached but not fixed to the locket itself which is free to spin, this was a common style in the Victorian Age.

Keepsake lockets can also be made with a glass pane at the front so that what is inside can be seen without opening the locket. These lockets are generally used for items like locks of hair which could fall out and become lost if the locket was repeatedly opened, whereas photograph lockets are generally enclosed on all sides and the photographs are secured by pieces of clear plastic.

Another kind of locket is/was made in a filigree style with a small cushion in the centre to which a few drops of perfume should be added, perfume lockets were popular in eras when personal hygiene was restricted and sweet smelling perfume was used to mask the odour of a person or their companions.

"The Locket" also refers to a book by Richard Paul Evans and the Season 2 Farscape episode "The Locket (Farscape)", in which the character Aeryn Sun's locket is very important to the plot of the episode and a key item in the relationship between Aeryn and John Crichton.

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Locket — Lock et, n. [F. loquet latch, dim. of OF. loc latch, lock; of German origin. See {Lock} a fastening.] [1913 Webster] 1. A small lock; a catch or spring to fasten a necklace or other ornament. [1913 Webster] 2. A little case for holding a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Locket — (engl.), kleiner Gegenstand, so ein Kreuz, Herz u. dgl., den man an dem Halzbande trägt …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • locket — (n.) mid 14c., iron cross bar of a window, from O.Fr. loquet door handle, bolt, latch, dim. of loc lock, latch, from Frankish or some other Germanic source (Cf. O.N. lok fastening, lock; see LOCK (Cf. lock) (n.1)). Meaning ornamental case with… …   Etymology dictionary

  • locket — ► NOUN ▪ a small ornamental case worn round a person s neck on a chain, ribbon, etc., used to hold an item of sentimental value such as a tiny photograph or a lock of hair. ORIGIN Old French locquet small latch or lock ; related to LOCK(Cf.… …   English terms dictionary

  • locket — [läk′it] n. [OFr loquet, dim of loc, a latch, lock < Frank * lok, akin to OE loc, LOCK1] a small, hinged, ornamental case of gold, silver, etc., for holding a picture, lock of hair, etc.: it is usually worn suspended from a necklace or chain …   English World dictionary

  • locket — UK [ˈlɒkɪt] / US [ˈlɑkət] noun [countable] Word forms locket : singular locket plural lockets a piece of jewellery that consists of a very small case that you wear round your neck on a chain. People often keep a photograph of someone who they… …   English dictionary

  • locket — n. a gold; silver locket * * * [ lɒkɪt] silver locket a gold …   Combinatory dictionary

  • locket — [[t]lɒ̱kɪt[/t]] lockets N COUNT A locket is a piece of jewellery containing something such as a picture, which a woman wears on a chain around her neck …   English dictionary

  • Locket-Lace — A precious and wealthy gift given to a stranger (usually a poor one) from someone who does not wish to be known to that stranger. It was hard for the poor man to believe that a locket lace of such value would be given to him …   Dictionary of american slang

  • Locket-Lace — A precious and wealthy gift given to a stranger (usually a poor one) from someone who does not wish to be known to that stranger. It was hard for the poor man to believe that a locket lace of such value would be given to him …   Dictionary of american slang

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