Antique French Gold Locket

A refined antique French oval locket of richly coloured 18K gold, circa 1860, the cover centred with an oval almandine garnet framed by three seed pearls and ropework roundels. 

The ground is exquisitely engine-turned (guilloché) a precise decorative technique made possible by the lathe, which created crisp, repeatable geometric patterns so prized during the Second Empire. The reverse is ornamented with decorative motifs. The locket opens cleanly to a compartment for a portrait or token.

Date & origin: France, Napoleon III period, circa 1860

Materials: 18K gold; almandine garnet; seed pearls

Hallmark: French owl head for 18K gold

Dimensions: 3.0 × 2.5 cm (excluding bail)

Weight: 5.69 g

Condition: Excellent antique condition; crisp turning and detail, stones secure, hinge and catch sound.

Notes: Engine-turned (guilloché) goldwork became a hallmark of high Victorian/Second Empire taste, valued for its symmetry and light-catching shimmer. A beautifully wearable example with a generous interior for a keepsake.