Queen Victoria (1819-1901) exercised enormous influence over fashion and etiquette throughout the British Empire. Much to the benefit of her Australian and Scottish subjects, her endorsement of opal and Highland hard-stone jewelry almost single handedly created lucrative industries in both countries. But no more powerful example exists than the effect of her extended mourning for her husband, Prince Albert. From his death in 1861, to a few years before hers in 1901, Victoria wore formal mourning attire every day, even on State occasions. Her bereavement extended to jewelry design. Onyx, jet (a polishable form of coal), bog oak and even bracelets and earrings intricately woven from a loved one’s hair became de rigueur in society. Such pieces were often set in heavy gold, and prices could be as extravagant as the sentiment and grief they represented. Our beaded bracelet strung on wire is made of 14K and gutta percha, a natural resin from a tropical evergreen that was widely used throughout the Victorian Era. It would have been purchased by someone of modest means but an up-to-date fashion sense. Condition: Excellent. Dimensions: Approx 6", flexible.