Victorian Serpent Bracelet, Human Hairwork, Ruby, and 18K Gold
Mid–19th century
This rare Victorian serpent bracelet is constructed around a finely preserved human hairwork core, braided and woven into a flexible tubular form, and fitted with an exquisitely engraved 18K gold serpent head and tail. The serpent’s eyes are set with vivid natural rubies, heightening its lifelike expression and symbolic potency.
Hairwork jewelry occupied a deeply personal role in 19th-century material culture, serving as a tangible conduit of memory, devotion, and intimacy. When paired with the serpent—an ancient emblem of eternity, fidelity, protection, and rebirth—the result is a jewel of exceptional emotional and symbolic resonance. The use of human hair transforms the bracelet from ornament into relic: an object meant to preserve presence beyond absence.
The serpent’s head is meticulously chased with foliate scrollwork, its open mouth and articulated form conveying motion and watchfulness. Matching engraved gold collars secure the hairwork body at both terminals, demonstrating masterful integration of organic material and precious metal. The bracelet’s flexibility allows it to coil naturally around the wrist, reinforcing the serpent’s living, continuous form.
Jewels combining human hairwork with precious gemstones and high-karat gold were reserved for the most meaningful commissions—often commemorating love, mourning, or enduring bonds. This bracelet stands as an extraordinary example of Victorian sentimental jewelry at its most refined and symbolically charged.
Purchased at Auction Exeter, United Kingdom
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