Jewellery has taken many bizarre forms throughout history and one of the most intriguing, albeit saddening forms is that of the mourning jewellery. Interest is particularly sparked in looking at the Victorian era when its production and display achieved cult proportions.

The Victorians made much of the ceremonial element of death. It was Victoria herself - the middle-class embodiment of Christian widowhood who fanned the cult of mourning. Following the premature death of her husband Albert in December 1861, she ordered that his dressing-room at Windsor Castle be kept exactly as he left it. His clothes were laid out every night and hot water prepared for the evenings ablutions. The Queen slept with a photograph of the head and shoulders of Albert taken as he lay dead, fixed about her head, and for years afterwards, all family photographs included a life size marble bust of Albert situated in the centre of the group. She further required that everyone at court wear mourning attire on social occasions until the end of 1864. She herself remained a semi-recluse and attired solely in black for the remainder of her life.

Mourning jewellery served three basic functions; primarily acting as a souvenir of the deceased and in some cultures as an outward manifestation to the departed that he or she had not been forgotten. Secondly, mourning jewellery was created as a 'Memento Mori' - a reminder to the living of the inevitability of death. The third function, subtly unstated in mourning etiquette was that of status symbol dressing. Devotional jewellery has existed throughout the long history of the Christian church Episcopal rings given at the consecration of Bishops when celebrating Mass. By tradition, a bishop was buried wearing this ring, exemplified in the large 14th century ring, set with sapphire, discovered in the tomb of William Wytlesey, Archbishop of Canterbury and now housed in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.