A gorgeous, large, likely late Victorian 9ct 'back and front' locket with a diamond starburst to the centre. This is a substantial size and weight and hangs beautifully.
The term 'back and front' is used to describe antique lockets that have a front and back made from gold, with the supporting frame of the locket and the hinges made from a base metal. Often it's said that they were made in this way to give strength and longevity to a piece but it's very likely it was also used to provide lockets in a more cost effective way.
Inside the locket is a hand painted portrait of a young man wearing an HMS Owl hat. HMS Owl is a former Navy air base built in 1941 (slap bang in the middle of WW2) in the Scottish Highlands. The control tower still stands has recently been converted into a luxury residential property.
Large diamond locket
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Material - 9ct gold and base metal
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Hallmarks - 9CT BACK & FRONT
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Country of origin - England
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Total length - 3.5cm
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Width - 2.1cm
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Weight - 5.3g
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Condition - excellent. There are some small nibbles on the reverse, which look very much like babys teeth marks!
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All of my pieces are at the very least pre-owned and most of them are vintage or antique. This item is not brand new and as such, will not look brand new. Please expect signs of wear to include kinks in links, surface wear to gold, scuffs to stones and accept this as part and parcel of buying second hand jewellery. I will be as clear as I can with item descriptions and condition statements and aim to make sure you are aware of any potential defects before you buy. Please study the photos carefully as they form part of the condition statement.