Why Was This Worn So Close To The Heart?
September 21, 2025
source: Doyle & Doyle
Before atomizers for travel and designer sample vials there was the most personal and refined option, the vintage perfume pendant. Designed for the skin, and dare I say the heart, these tiny, intricately crafted decorative bottles were so much more than just “fashion.” They became a logos of refinement, sophistication and classic beauty of fragrance.
This image is a great example. Cast in brushed brass with decorative engraving, the overall dimensions give you the sense of a time when scents weren’t sprayed, just held.
A Stylish Functionality
Vintage pendants were more than stylish, they helped functionally. These mini vessels were meant to be gently filled with some perfume or essential oil. This allowed you to freshen your scent discretely throughout the day.
Most were simply made with a small cork or a screw top for leak prevention and evaporation. A few came with an application device, not much more than a 19th or 20th version of a rollerball!
The ornamental designs for the vial in our presentation show these historical decorative elements. The flask, jar or urn shape is pretty classic. The engraving probably with feathers or fanned leaves has certainly been smoother. Absolutely every vintage pendant attested for a thin linked chain or string that hung just below the collarbone. This provided enough warmth to tempt and jettison the perfume.
A Bit of Perfume Jewelry History
The concept of rest, fragrance close to the skin, is nothing outrageous! In fact, this custom can be traced back to Ancient Egypt and Rome — via pomanders— small vessels with piercings meant to enclose aromatic herbs or material.
Today’s perfume pendants as we think of them, became fashionable in the 18th and 19th centuries. At that time, personal cleanliness was unlikely, and smell became a very touchy topic of etiquette in respectable society.
Women adorned these pendants when they participated in parties, outings, or group events. Dropping a few drops of scent on your wrist, or at the back of your ears would refresh that scent. It would also refresh your inner confidence.
An Heirloom of Fashion
What makes the vintage perfume pendants special today, are not only fragrance, but craftsmanship. Most are made from, brass, silver, or gold—sometimes embellished with elaborate etching, flash stones or enamel.
They were often given as gifts, for a poignant reason—birthdays, anniversaries etc.—or as a part of a series. Moreover, they were passed down for generations as a family heirloom. These pendants, each thumb nail size, have a story within.
The one shown here is personally related. The patina on the exterior lets it be known that it has been loved and certainly well served. The intricate detailed work was most likely a hand placement.
A Renaissance of Tiny
Presently there is what seems to be a slow renaissance of perfume pendants. Some might say slow fashion is the new vintage, and people want to discover these items for their perfume, combustibles, and originality.
Some individuals wear perfume or personal scents with special oils, while some just wear it for the decor of wearable art. Regardless, they bring you back to a magical time period anywhere.
Summary
In a sea of throwaway items, the mini perfume pendant is reminiscent of a bygone age. Even the tiniest accessory was painstakingly crafted to last longer than a lifetime.
It’s more than an outfit’s jewelry, it’s nostalgia, charm, and given a spritz of perfume the golden years preserved in metal worn boldly.