Victorian Vulcanite Family Locket
Cool antique navette (meaning little boat) shaped locket which opens to reveal four glass-fronted compartments. It is made from vulcanite, a thermoset material invented by Charles Goodyear in 1839. Vulcanite is created by heating sulphur with rubber, with the proportion of sulphur increased or decreased in order to vary the hardness of the object. Between 25-50% sulphur results in a hard product with the familiar feel of plastic. It was commonly used in the Victorian period as a type of imitation Whitby jet and was used widely in the production of brooches, bracelets and necklaces. Victorian, circa 1870.
Era: Victorian, circa 1870
Size: 6.8cm (including bail) by 3.3cm
Material: Vulcanite
Marks: None
Condition: Good antique condition, there's a darker circular mark on the outside - see images.
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This includes a valuation for insurance purposes, item specifics, date, and origins (where applicable).
Gemstones are tested by an accredited gemmologist (Cert GA, Gemmological Association of Great Britain).
Shipping
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Tracked and insured with signature on delivery
RM Special Delivery (UK domestic)
US Shipments
US Customs no longer charges a 10% tariff on antiques shipped from the UK. We will ensure that our parcels are correctly declared using the relevant HTS codes to qualify for the tariff exemption and zero-rated (0%) duties so you won't have any customs fees to pay at the border. You will remain liable for any handling/storage fees charged by DHL as a result of a delay in providing any additional customs information.
[Last updated: September 2026]
Resizing
Ring sizing is available on most rings
£55 flat fee
Resizing takes 7-14 days
Leave a note at checkout with your desired size
Note: sizing may remove some of the patina (although we take every care to reduce this where possible)
Layaway
25% deposit taken to secure the item. The remaining balance will be settled in 90 days. You can pay installments weekly, monthly, or the full balance at the end - whatever works.
Condition
We offer detailed and accurate condition reports on each listing. These pieces are antique, vintage, or pre-loved and often over 100 years old so they're going to have lived a life. A healthy patina and the odd scuff or scrape is quite normal... it's part of their charm! Everything we present has been checked over by our jeweller and should be good for wear for many years to come (unless otherwise stated) but please remember to treat them with appropriate care and consideration for their age.
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