The Victorians pretty much perfected the art of sentimental jewelry. While we sometimes raise an eyebrow at pieces with hair in them, we absolutely appreciate the feelings of love and affection behind their making. “Mizpah” jewelry is a bit more wearable, and expresses the same emotion. Meant as a token of remembrance when two people were separated by distance, Mizpah has Biblical origins and can be found on rings and brooches, sometimes with the full passage, “The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.”
Victorian 18K yellow, green and rosy gold "Mizpah" ring, c. 1880, at Gray & Davis
Today, Mizpah jewelry can be worn with the same sentiment that our Victorian friends had. It’s like a secret code that only those in the know can decipher.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizpah_%28emotional_bond%29