Whereas Most Jewelry Celebrates Life and Joy, I Help People Mourn What’s Lost

LOVE, LIFE AND birth? There was a time when jewelry was also worn to signify death, loss and passage. Mourning jewelry it was called, and I was the dark prince of that trend. My heyday was the second half of the 19th century, and my chief promoter was Queen Victoria, whose grief-inspired fashion sensibilities set the tone for an age. Light and soft but as black as a starless night, I was perfect for making cameos, pendants and necklaces. In recent years, I have made something of a comeback, but this time in earrings, brooches and beads.

Who am I?