When Sheherazade Goldsmith’s young son gave her a Perspex heart containing a dried flower, she treasured it as any parent would, as an enduring token of a child’s love. Then she began to think about its possibilities. Chatting with her friend Laura Bailey, they both fondly remembered wearing fragile vintage lockets filled with personal mementoes, often photographs, and felt sad they no longer had them as they would break easily owing to their delicate hinges, losing their contents.
Together they hatched a plan for a locket that was not only elegant, fine and hardwearing, but even waterproof. After much rigorous sampling, they hit on the solution. They came up with an innovative side opening that provided the cue for the name: Loquet, which translates from French as a simple door fastening. The transparent centre can be filled with your charms and precious mementoes which free-fall within the locket as the jewellery moves with the body. Each piece is instantly unique and can be changed in character as new contents and souvenirs are added or changed.
Loquet London the brand was launched 10 years ago, offering a contemporary take on the centuries-old jewellery classic, one particularly embraced by the Victorians, always strong on remembrance and sentiment. Wearing cherished keepsakes – literally – close to your heart makes the locket the most personal of all jewellery. You can choose from a wide range of locket shapes, chains and charms or go for the bespoke service that allows clients to commemorate beloved memories into Loquet charms and lockets. If the wide variety of charms on offer – from palm trees in 18ct solid yellow gold set with tsavorites and a single diamond to a sun charm in 18ct gold with yellow enamel – don’t chime, create your own design for a personal commission to make a singular memory of your travels. The turnaround time is 3-4 weeks for charms and six weeks for lockets.
Charms from £30, lockets from £380 in 18ct yellow gold; loquetlondon.com
Joanne Glasbey is the editor of Brummell magazine and watch editor of Times LUXX magazine
