An unusually architectural Victorian locket, built with multiple “windows” framed in banded onyx and carnelian panels. This type of engineered, many-layered design was delightfully common in the late 19th century, when jewelers were inspired by miniature cabinetry, Gothic revival architecture, and the era’s fixation on hidden compartments. Each door, hinge, and pane has been hand-cut and fitted, and the colored hardstones chosen not only for durability but for their stark, dramatic contrast. Just when you think you've found all the hidden photos, open another door.
MATERIALS: 10k gold (tests), carnelian, onyx, glass lens
AGE: c. 1880
CONDITION: Very good
SIZE: 1 3/8" length including the bale, 3/4" width