Lockets provide the same kind of comfort of the past. While the roots of the style reach back hundreds of years, it was popularized during the nineteenth century. Britain’s Queen Victoria, who ignited so many jewelry trends, had a textbook locket made of gold and enamel with locks of her children’s hair and a portrait of her beloved husband Prince Albert.

Today’s celebrity trendsetter in the locket category is Taylor Swift. The singer has had an interest in the love token since she received one from her former beau Calvin Harris. She doubled down on her passion for lockets last August with her debut TikTok video which inspired news far and wide.

Lockets are a signature part of several COUTURE designers’ collections. See some of our favorite styles from Arman Sarkisyan, Buddha Mama, Monica Rich Kosann and Single Stone below.

Single Stone

Everything in the Single Stone collection has an old-world charm. The jewels are made in Downtown Los Angeles by master craftsmen using antique tools and they are set with old hand-cut diamonds. Oxidized gold details infuse a Victorian spirit in some pieces. Lockets are a natural extension of the collection.

“Jewelry is very sentimental for me. Each piece I own is marked by an important occasion and has a memory,” explains Single Stone’s Corina Madilian. “Lockets in particular are one of my favorites as they are the perfect place to keep something treasured, close to my heart.”

Arman Sarkisyan

Luxurious materials make Arman Sarkisyan lockets look like lost treasure. Specifically, the designer uses rich 22 karat gold and engraves it. Then he makes diamonds and colored gemstones shine brighter by setting them in oxidized silver. Finally, he adds a sense of narrative to lockets with romantic motifs like birds, stars and hearts. 

“I find them to be one of the most personal forms of jewelry,” explains Arman. “Our clients use lockets to tell their own story, choosing a design that resonates with them personally, and filling it with whatever they hold dear.”

Monica Rich Kosann

Before Monica Rich Kosann became a jewelry designer she was a portrait photographer with a love of vintage jewelry. From the moment she launched her collection in 2003, it included lockets. In fact, lockets partially inspired her career shift.

“Before I started as a jewelry designer, I wondered why is nobody making lockets that are young, contemporary and sexy,” explains Monica. “That was my first defining moment. I never looked back.”

Today, there are innumerable lockets in the Monica Rich Kosann collection. The styles start with classic silver pieces and go up to elaborate gold and diamond designs with multiple places for photos.

Buddha Mama

It’s good vibes all around the Buddha Mama lockets. The motifs for each of the bold pieces not only form the shapes of the locket they also cover the back and interior. Sometimes the patterns are engraved in the gold and other times they are rendered in enamel and gems. The special details are like secrets for the wearer of the jewel.

“Our heart pendant that opens up to a celebration of enamel, centered by a beautiful tourmaline, is a continuation of our Peace & Love collection,” says Nancy Badia who designs Buddha Mama with her daughter Dakota. “It’s a true expression of love, and something we need a little bit more of today.”