23 Apr Sell a Victorian Pendant to Our San Diego Estate Jewelers
If you would like to sell a Victorian pendant, contact C. Blackburn Jewelers in La Jolla. Selling antique Victorian jewelry isn’t like selling modern estate jewelry. It’s important to work with a San Diego jewelry buyer who has decades of hand-on experience buying antique jewelry, such as Victorian pendants, charms, cameos, and lockets.
Our owner Carl Blackburn is a 2nd generation California estate jeweler with just that kind of professional experience. He will accurately evaluate the resale market value of your Victorian era pendant, and make you a generous cash offer.
Get started by leaving Carl a voicemail at 858-251-3006, describing the Victorian pendant you would like to sell, or send him text message with photos at 619-723-8589. He’ll get in touch with you promptly to either arrange a visit to our estate jewelry store, or arrange for the secure shipping of your item.
If you would like to learn more about Victorian pendants, please read the following history that we’ve written up for sellers.
Victorian Pendants & the Romantic Era
While the Romantic era in literature was beginning to subside by the start of Queen Victoria’s reign in 1837, its influence was felt in fine jewelry throughout the remaining 19th century, especially in the design of pendants.
Themes of Nature & Emotion: The Romantic Era celebrated nature, emotion, and individualism, reacting against the Industrial Revolution’s mechanization and the rationalism of the Enlightenment. Victorian pendants celebrated nature with motifs such as flowers, leaves, birds, and insects. These motifs were not just decorative. They were imbued with symbolism and meaning, reflecting the Romantic emphasis on deeper emotional expression and connection to nature.
Romanticism’s focus on emotion and individual experience led to the popularity of sentimental jewelry — items that conveyed messages of love, mourning, remembrance, or friendship. Victorian pendants often contained lockets with portraits or locks of hair, and used symbols like hearts, clasped hands, and anchors (symbolizing hope) that held personal or emotional significance.
Revivalist Motifs & Designs: The Romantic fascination with the past, particularly the medieval period and the Gothic style, influenced Victorian jewelry design. Pendants and other pieces often included architectural elements like pointed arches or complex filigree work that echoed Gothic structures. This was part of a broader Romantic trend that idealized medieval chivalry and artistry as more authentic and emotionally rich than contemporary life.
Alongside Gothic influences, other historical styles were revived during the Victorian era. This included the Renaissance Revival, Etruscan Revival, and Egyptian Revival, which became popular after major archaeological discoveries of the time. Pendants in these styles might feature motifs like scarabs, pharaohs, or classical profiles, crafted with historical accuracy in mind.
Emphasis on Handcraftsmanship: The Romantic Era celebrated handcrafted artistry. While mass-produced jewelry began at scale during Victorian period, handcrafted fine jewelry such as pendants often showcased exquisite craftsmanship, and might include intricate enamel work, the incorporation of semi-precious stones, and the use of gold and silver to create detailed and high-quality pieces.
Techniques such as filigree and cannetille also were refined during this time, allowing for more detailed and delicate designs in jewelry. These techniques were particularly suited to the intricate natural and historical motifs favored during the Romantic period.
The Christian Influence on Victorian Pendants
It wasn’t only the Romantic era that influenced the design of Victorian pendants, religion and spirituality were reflected in the designs of the period — in particular, Christian motifs that reflected the intertwined nature of personal adornment and spiritual expression.
These religious motifs were not only decorative but served as everyday reminders of the wearer’s faith and values, illustrating how jewelry functioned as both personal talisman and public declaration of identity during the Victorian period.
Crosses: The cross was one of the most common Christian symbols used in Victorian pendants. These could range from simple, unadorned crosses to highly ornate ones embellished with gemstones, filigree, and engraving. Crosses might be made of gold, silver, or encrusted with precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, and sapphires, often intended to be worn for both religious significance and as a fashion statement.
Sacred Hearts: The Sacred Heart, symbolizing Jesus Christ’s divine love for humanity, was another motif frequently seen in Victorian pendants. These hearts were often depicted aflame and encircled by a crown of thorns or a halo, beautifully crafted in gold or silver and sometimes accented with red gemstones to symbolize devotion and suffering.
Anchors and Fishes: Anchors were used in Victorian jewelry as symbols of hope and steadfastness, attributes associated with the Christian faith. Fishes, an early Christian secret symbol, were also used, though less frequently. These symbols were particularly popular in regions with strong maritime links but carried a dual significance, being both Christian symbols and nods to seafaring life.
Biblical Scenes and Figures: Pendants featuring scenes from the Bible or figures such as angels, the Virgin Mary, and saints were popular among devout Victorians. These pieces were often used as devotional aids, reminding the wearer of specific biblical stories or virtues associated with particular saints.
IHS Monogram: The Christogram IHS (derived from the first three letters of “Jesus” in Greek) was another popular motif in Victorian religious jewelry. Pendants featuring this monogram were considered powerful symbols of faith, often gifted during religious milestones such as baptisms and confirmations.
Inscription and Mourning Jewelry: Inscriptions of Bible verses or religious sentiments were common in Victorian pendants, often found in mourning jewelry. Such pieces might include phrases like “In God We Trust” or “Resurgam” (Latin for “I shall rise again”), reflecting a deeply felt spirituality and the Victorian preoccupation with death and the afterlife.
At C. Blackburn Jewelers, we are always interested in buying gold Victorian pendants with Christian motifs or Romantic themes. Give us a call at 858-251-3006, and tell us about the pendant you want to sell, or text a message with photos to 619-723-8589.
Famous Pendant Designers of the Victorian Era
During the Victorian era, several prominent jewelry designers and firms were renowned for their exquisite and innovative pendant designs, although the period is more generally recognized by its distinctive styles rather than by individual designers.
Among these, Italian jeweler Fortunato Pio Castellani and his firm stood out for their revivalist jewelry that echoed ancient Etruscan, Greek, and Roman art, employing sophisticated techniques in filigree and granulation. Similarly, Carlo Giuliano, another Italian working in London, gained acclaim for his Renaissance revival pieces characterized by detailed enamel work and vibrant use of precious stones.
In addition to these, other notable firms such as Rundell & Bridge were recognized as jewelers to the British royal family, producing elaborate and high-quality pieces. On the other side of the pond, America’s Tiffany & Co., founded by Charles Lewis Tiffany, brought luxury and fine craftsmanship into the mix, influencing both American and Victorian European jewelry styles towards the end of the era.
French firms like Mellerio dits Meller and Boucheron also made significant contributions, with their luxurious designs winning favor among European royalty. These designers and their firms not only set high standards for craftsmanship and aesthetic quality but also helped shape the course of jewelry design well beyond their own time, blending technical innovation with sumptuous styles that appealed to the Victorian taste for opulence and historical romanticism.
“How Much is My Victorian Pendant Worth?”
Discover how much your Victorian pendant is worth today. At C. Blackburn Jewelers, you can sell Victorian pendants made with gold or silver, and set with gemstones, as well as finely made cameo and intaglio pendants.
The process begins with a completely free, no obligation appraisal of your antique Victorian pendant. Our San Diego estate jewelers will provide a preliminary jewelry appraisal over the phone (after receiving a description and accompanying photos). Then we’ll arrange an in-person appraisal at our La Jolla jewelry store or arrange for the secure shipping of your item.
Send a text message with photos of your pendant to 619-723-8589 send us an email via the contact form below. Sell antique Victorian jewelry for the cash you deserve.
