Two Oval Photo Lockets Inside

Here is the inside of two better-than-average quality USA made lockets. The one on the left is a 14k gold-filled locket pendant. It has retaining rings to help hold the pictures and the plastic protective sheets in place inside the locket. This is a stab from the past, as most lockets pre 1960 were made that way. Instead of the plastic, though, they often had thin glass as protective barriers from the elements- as plastic had not been invented yet.

Locket pendants with the retaining rings can be a bit annoying at times- this is true for even the best quality lockets. This is because the rings tend to be difficult to get back in place after you put in image under them. You must be careful to put the locket down on a soft surface when attempting to re-install the rings after inserting images into the locket. With luck they will fit back in nice and easy. Sometimes this is a chore, and possibly even a bit of crazy glue can help keep them in place. The problem is that the photo paper that fits into our printers is quite thick, and I believe that can get in the way of the rings. If that happens to you may feel comforted to know that many people just put the rings in a drawer for a rainy day and use a bit of rubber cement or tape to hold the pictures in. Even easier, Heartsmith, an online locket retailer actually will insert the pictures for you for a small fee.

Locket Construction Differs by Manufacturer

The locket on the left is made in England by famous qulaitylocket maker, Charles Green & Sons. It utilizes the retaining ring concept, as discussed above, to hold in the photos. Frankly, these are annoying and difficult to use. The Charles Green Co. has been slow to adapt to modern jewelry making techniques. Although that is a big part of what makes them a quality manufacturer, it is time for them to redesign the rings. If you are lucky to own one of these lockets, you can alternatively remove the rings(they are gold) and save them in a drawer- you 'll be better off. Hold the pictures in with a bit of glue or fun tack if you have any as it works quite well.

The construction of the Charles Green Locket is very similar to the USA made premium locket. One difference, worth noting is that the locket on the left (Charles Green) has an inner lip that seals the locket from the elements more effectively than the locket on the right, So, if you like to shower with your locket, it might be a better choice for you. (we don't recommend showering with your locket) The inner lip also serves as the mechanism that holds the locket shut instead of the male/female part that keeps the locket on the right snapped shut.  This characteristic is also good for a locket that you might want to keep ashes in or other precious material.  If you do this, you must seal the locket permanently with glue. As the opening and closing of a locket containing anything other than images, may damage the hinges over time.

Three Opened European Lockets

Each of the above lockets are made in either Italy, or England. They are simply constructed probably pnumetically, formed over a frame. I have found in my experience that these imported lockets tend to be a bit thinner than their American counterparts. Especially the newest ones, with gold topping $1300/oz at this writing.

The locket in the upper right, red colored  is Italian made. The interesting thing about this company is that they put enormous plastic inserts into the locket. These inserts are not flexible plastic as in all the other lockets shown. These are thick( up to 1/8" and fill the negitave space in the locket. I see several problems with this method.

1.if you have thick papered images, your locket won't close.

2.the locket is weighed with the plastic inserts inside. These are quite heavy and who are they fooling when you say a locket is 6 grms. But half of that weight is the plastic.

3. These are extremely hard to get out of the case. They are stiff and often you break/bend your tool trying to pry the insert out of the locket.

4. Lastly, they are a bit foggy and often scratched as they arrive from the manufacturer.