Long before the Victorian era, memento mori jewelry served as a reminder of life’s impermanence. Meaning “remember you must die,” the tradition used symbols of mortality to encourage reflection not only on death, but on the precious and fleeting nature of life.

Worn close to the body, these pieces carried a message that still resonates centuries later: remember what matters, hold tightly to the time you are given, and live knowing that it will not last forever.