Let's talk about hidden stories - the ones that are locked away in the tiniest of trinkets and hidden in plain sight. Lockets have been entrusted holding the most clandestine and intimate of feelings for centuries. Between its clasps each one holds a wealth of stories, secrets, and memories. Here are some of the most historically common use cases for these magnificent pieces of jewelry: 

1. Love Letters in Miniature

In the 18th and 19th centuries, lockets were used as a way to exchange secret messages between lovers. A locket would be engraved with a message or a quote and given to a loved one as a secret message of love. These hidden messages were known as "Love Letters in Miniature" and they were a way for lovers to communicate when they couldn't be together.

2. Memories of War

During times of war, lockets were often given to soldiers as a way to keep their loved ones close to their hearts. They would carry a picture of their family or sweetheart inside, serving as a reminder of home and loved ones. These lockets were also used to commemorate fallen soldiers, with a lock of hair or a picture of the soldier inside.

3. Lockets as Mementos

Lockets were also used as mementos to commemorate special events or people in history. For example, lockets were made to commemorate Queen Victoria's coronation and were given as gifts to her subjects. They were also used to commemorate important figures in history, such as Abraham Lincoln, and were given as gifts to commemorate his presidency.

4. The Secret Keepers

Lockets have also been used as a tool of secrecy throughout history. They were often used to conceal secret messages or documents, and were also used to conceal miniature portraits of secret lovers.

So next time you come across a locket, take a closer look, it might just hold a hidden story waiting to be uncovered. Their value goes beyond beautiful pieces of jewelry. They have held secret messages between lovers, loved ones close to soldiers' hearts during war, mementos to commemorate special events and people in history, and secrets for countless more.