Antique 18K Gold Locket Pendant with Pearl Cross. C. 1900

Antique 18K Gold Locket Pendant with Pearl Cross. Circa 1900

This beautiful reliquary pendant, crafted around the year 1900, is a piece of high religious goldsmithing that combines spirituality, elegance, and technical mastery in a single jewel. Made of solid 18-karat gold, it stands out for its perfectly proportioned oval shape and its finely worked guilloché texture, decorated with a subtle pattern of diagonal dots repeated on both sides. On its front, a delicate Latin cross embellished with natural river pearls adds an unparalleled symbolic and aesthetic dimension. The pearls are set in spherical mounts, each framed by golden rosettes that give volume and soft brilliance to the cross. The composition is balanced and profoundly harmonious.

This reliquary belongs to the tradition of devotional reliquaries, which emerged in the Middle Ages when the veneration of relics of saints became a central aspect of Christian practice. These small containers, generally crafted from noble metals such as gold or silver, were intended to preserve sacred fragments such as bones, garments, or hair of holy figures, as well as memories of loved ones. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the use of reliquaries spread among the laity, who sought to keep tangible signs of faith and affection close to them. Pendant models like this one allowed individuals to carry these relics near the heart, reinforcing the spiritual bond. The presence of pearls in the decoration responds both to aesthetic intentions and symbolic meaning, as pearls represent purity, faith, and spiritual comfort. By the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth, coinciding with the rise of symbolism and sentimental jewelry, devotional reliquaries reached a remarkable level of technical and artistic sophistication, incorporating elements such as enamels, semiprecious stones, and finely engraved details, as seen in this piece.

The interior, accessible through a firm and functional hinge, reveals two smooth and gilded compartments that remain in excellent condition. One of them still preserves the original inner glass, also perfectly intact. Designed to hold relics, photographs of loved ones, or small devotional keepsakes, this reliquary retains its full functionality and is highly collectible.

The general condition is very good, with only slight surface marks typical of age and use, which do not affect its appearance or structure. On the contrary, these signs of time add authenticity to a piece that has preserved its beauty for over a century. The pendant includes its original suspension ring, also made of gold, ready to be attached to a chain or a velvet ribbon, according to the collector's preference.

A unique jewel, worthy of a devotional collection, ideal as a meaningful gift or as a growing-value investment, concentrating centuries of tradition, spirituality, and craftsmanship into a single object of profound cultural and historical value.

Dimensions: 3.42 × 2.58 cm (1.35 × 1 in)

Weight: 11 g