Jewellery can include images of flowers as the centrepiece, as an attractive border or even  just a minor component of the design of the piece. In many cases, the flowers are just included because they are pretty and make the piece look nice but there is also a lot of symbolism associated with the use of flowers. One example of a flower whose use is very symbolic is the forget-me-not flower, a flower with five petals and a yellow centre which comes in colours of pink, yellow, white and blue flowers. It was used in Victorian mourning jewellery to symbolise fidelity and true love.

So how do you know whether the use of a particular flower or collection of flowers is meant to represent some message? The Georgians and Victorians actually published books and guides to explain the meaning of each flower. One useful book, published in 1867, is The Illustrated Language of Flowers by Mrs L. Burke (https://archive.org/details/illustratedlang00burka/page/8/mode/2up). Of course, using books like this only helps if you recognise what the flower is in the piece of jewellery.

Victorian turquoise pendant

The turquoise pendant above has forget-me-knots in the top section but the dangling bits remind me a little of of the wisteria. The Victorian ivory pendant below is a beautiful carving of a rose. The rose symbolises love. However, if you read Mrs Burke’s book on the language of flowers, there are more categories of love being depicted depending on the type of rose.

Victorian ivory rose pendant

The flower in the antique French silver ring below is depicting a daisy, which symbolises innocence.

19th century French silver ring

And I think the operculum brooch below is depicting a shamrock, a three leaf Irish plant, which symbolised light-heartedness.

Victorian operculum trefoil flower brooch

What a bouquet of flowers symbolises depends on the flowers in the bunch. The bunch of flowers in the pendant at the top of the post looks as if it contains dahlias which Mrs Burke’s book said meant instability, which is not much of a message but other flower reference books say dahlias mean lasting commitment, which is a much nicer message. It is a very pretty bunch of flowers whatever it is supposed to symbolise.