What to Put in a Locket

A locket is the only piece of jewelry that carries a secret. The outside is beautiful; the inside is personal. But the question most people get stuck on is not which locket to buy — it is what, exactly, goes inside it.

This guide answers that question with twenty specific, actionable ideas, organized by category. You will also find a locket sizing guide, step-by-step fitting instructions, and advice on preserving whatever you choose to keep close to your heart. For a full introduction to locket styles, see our locket necklace guide and our deep dive into locket necklace meaning.

Locket Sizing Guide: What Fits Where

Before you choose what to put inside, you need to know the interior dimensions of your locket. Lockets are sold by their outer diameter, but the usable interior window is always smaller — typically 2 to 4 mm less on each side because of the bezel and hinge.

How to cut photos to fit: Open your photo in any free editing tool (Google Photos, Canva, or iPhone's built-in editor). Crop it to a square or circle. Print at the smallest available size — typically wallet size — then trim to your locket's interior dimension using small scissors or a craft punch. A 1-inch (25 mm) circle punch from a craft store is the most commonly needed size. Aim to cut the photo 0.5 mm smaller than the interior window so it lies flat without bowing.

Free printable photo templates: Search "locket photo template printable" and choose the sheet that matches your locket size. Print on standard photo paper at 100% scale (no "fit to page" scaling), then cut along the guides. Some shops that sell photo locket necklaces include a sizing template card in the packaging — check the box before you reach for scissors.

Category 1: People You Love

1. A Baby Photo

A newborn's face, a first birthday portrait, or a candid moment in the crib — baby photos are the most classic locket filling for a reason. Choose a close-up shot that keeps the face large even at thumbnail scale. Print it in black and white if the color version loses detail when shrunk down. Many parents choose this to mark the day of a child's birth or adoption.

2. A Wedding Photo

An intimate detail shot — the moment of the first kiss, a close-up of clasped hands, or the bride's portrait — often reads better at locket scale than a wide venue shot. Crop tightly before printing. Couples sometimes place the wedding photo inside a locket given as an anniversary gift, making it a piece of jewelry that carries the memory of the day it was received.

3. A Photo of a Parent or Grandparent

Carrying a parent's face close to you is one of the oldest reasons lockets exist. Choose a photo where the person is recognizable at small scale — avoid group shots or wide-angle images. A portrait from their youth is especially powerful; it shows you the person as they were before you knew them.

4. A Photo of Someone Who Has Passed

Grief lockets have a long history, dating to Victorian mourning jewelry. Wearing a photo of someone you have lost is a private act of remembrance that requires no explanation to anyone who sees the closed locket. If the original photo only exists as a print, scan it at 600 dpi before resizing and printing so you preserve as much detail as possible at small scale.

Category 2: Nature

5. A Pressed Flower or Petal

A single petal from a bouquet — a wedding arrangement, a first-date gift, a garden that no longer exists — can be pressed flat and placed inside a locket. How to press and preserve: Place the petal between two sheets of parchment paper, stack three or four heavy books on top, and leave it for two to four weeks. Once fully dry, the petal will be translucent, lightweight, and paper-thin. Apply a single thin coat of clear nail polish or Mod Podge to both sides before placing it in the locket to prevent it from crumbling over time. A 16 mm or larger locket will accommodate most rose petals if you fold or trim one edge.

6. A Four-Leaf Clover

Finding a four-leaf clover is already rare and meaningful. Preserving it inside a locket keeps the luck — and the memory of the moment you found it — literally on your person. Press and seal it using the same method as a flower petal. The slim profile of a dried clover fits even a 16 mm locket with room to spare.

7. A Dried Herb (Lavender)

A sprig of dried lavender trimmed to fit — usually two or three tiny florets stripped from the stem — adds both meaning and a faint, lasting scent. Lavender represents calm, devotion, and remembrance in floral symbolism. Other herbs that work well at this scale include rosemary (remembrance) and thyme (courage). Make sure the herb is fully dried before it goes inside; any residual moisture will damage the locket interior and can discolor a sterling silver piece.

8. A Tiny Dried Rose Petal

A single rose petal, dried and sealed, fits even the smallest locket. Unlike a full pressed flower, a single petal can be folded gently to fit a circular window without losing its shape. Red petals symbolize love; white petals symbolize purity; yellow petals are for friendship. Press under books for three weeks, seal with a light coat of clear polish, and trim to size.

Category 3: Mementos

9. A Handwritten Note or Message

Write the message in pencil or archival pen on a small strip of thin paper — tissue paper or tracing paper works best because it folds compactly. Keep the message short: a name, a date, a single sentence, or a number that means something only to you and the person who gave the locket. Fold the paper in quarters and place it beneath a photo so it stays in position. To protect it from humidity, fold it inside a tiny piece of laminating film before inserting.

10. A Birthstone Chip

Rough birthstone chips — small, irregular fragments rather than faceted gems — are widely available online for a few dollars per packet. They are thin enough to lie flat inside a locket without preventing it from closing. Garnet for January, amethyst for February, aquamarine for March, and so on. A chip representing your child's birth month is a common choice for new mothers. Place it on a thin adhesive gel pad (the kind used to hold phone accessories) to keep it from rattling.

11. A Lock of Hair — Baby's First Haircut

The tradition of saving a baby's first cut of hair is centuries old. A small, flat bundle tied with a thin thread fits inside a 20 mm or larger locket. Fold the bundle twice so it lies flat against one side of the interior and does not prevent the locket from closing. Secure with a tiny drop of clear craft glue on the thread, not the hair itself, to keep it together without damage.

12. A Lock of Hair from Someone Who Has Passed

Keeping hair as a memento of a lost loved one is another tradition with deep roots in Victorian mourning culture. If you have a small amount of hair from a family member or close friend who has passed, a locket is one of the most respectful and personal ways to carry it. Tie the bundle with a thin piece of ribbon in the person's favorite color, fold it to fit, and press it gently inside.

13. A Small Piece of Fabric from Meaningful Clothing

A square of fabric cut from a beloved item — a baby's first onesie, a grandmother's apron, a wedding dress hem, a military uniform — can be folded tightly to fit inside a medium or large locket. Choose a tightly woven fabric so it does not fray after cutting. A 25 mm or 30 mm locket gives you enough interior space to include a fabric swatch plus a small photo on the other side.

Category 4: Spiritual and Symbolic

14. A Tiny Prayer

Print or handwrite a short prayer — a single verse, a blessing, a line from a psalm or sutra — on thin paper, fold it tightly, and place it inside. This works especially well as a gift for someone facing a difficult period, a hospital stay, or a major life transition. The prayer does not need to be visible to anyone but the wearer; the act of keeping it close is the point.

15. An Affirmation Word Written on Paper

Write a single word — courage, enough, loved, free — in your own handwriting on a small piece of paper. The handwriting matters: this is not something to print. Fold it and place it inside as a private daily reminder. This works particularly well as a mental health keepsake or as a gift for someone going through a period of self-doubt or anxiety.

16. A Horoscope Symbol

Draw or stamp your zodiac glyph — the symbol for your sun sign, moon sign, or rising sign — on a small circle of paper. Alternatively, cut the symbol from thin gold or silver metallic paper. A horoscope symbol locket is particularly meaningful as a gift between two people whose signs are compatible or complementary. Keep the paper thin: metallic card stock is usually too thick to allow the locket to close properly.

Category 5: Creative

17. A Tiny Watercolor Painting

If you paint or know someone who does, a miniature watercolor the size of a postage stamp — a portrait, a landscape, a symbolic image — can be sealed with a coat of clear medium and placed inside a 25 mm or larger locket. Watercolor paper is thin enough to fit without bulk. This is one of the most personal and labor-intensive options, which also makes it one of the most impressive gifts.

18. A Wax Seal

A pressed wax seal — made with a wax seal stamp and flexible wax — can be trimmed to fit a medium or large locket. Choose a symbol that means something: an initial, a heart, a compass rose. Flexible wax (not traditional hard sealing wax) will not crack when the locket is opened and closed repeatedly. Trim the seal with small scissors to fit the interior window, then place it flat inside.

19. A Small Map of a Meaningful Place

Print a satellite or street map of a specific location — the house you grew up in, the city where you met your partner, the hospital where your child was born — at the smallest scale that still shows the street names or landmarks you care about. Trim it to fit the locket's interior. A 25 mm locket can accommodate a roughly 20 mm square of map. This is a particularly thoughtful gift for someone who has moved away from a place they love.

20. A Meaningful Number or Date

Write a date — a birthday, an anniversary, a date of loss, the day something changed — in your own handwriting on thin paper. Or write a number that holds private meaning: a jersey number, a lucky number, the number of years a relationship lasted. Fold tightly and place inside. Simple, weightless, and completely personal.

How to Preserve Items Inside a Locket

The interior of a locket is a sealed, occasionally humid microenvironment. Without basic preservation steps, paper yellows, organic matter decomposes, and photos fade.

• Laminate paper items. Pass a handwritten note or printed photo through a cold laminating pouch (available at office supply stores) or use self-adhesive laminating sheets. Cut the laminated item to size after sealing. This adds a negligible amount of thickness and significantly extends the lifespan of any paper inside.
• Dry organic matter thoroughly. Flowers, herbs, hair, and fabric must be completely free of moisture before they go inside a metal locket. Any dampness will cause tarnishing on the silver interior and mold on the organic item. When in doubt, leave the item in a warm, dry room for an additional week before inserting.
• Do not overfill. A locket that is forced shut will eventually warp its hinge or crack its clasp. Items should lie flat and stack no thicker than 1 mm total. If you want to put two photos in a locket designed for one, print them back-to-back on a single laminated sheet rather than stacking two separate prints.
• Use a thin adhesive base. A small circle of repositionable adhesive gel (the type used for phone mounts) placed on the interior panel keeps photos and keepsakes in position without permanent glue. This allows you to remove and replace items without damage.

What NOT to Put in a Locket

• Wet or damp items. Even slightly damp flowers or fabric will cause the sterling silver interior to tarnish rapidly and can lead to mold. Always fully dry before inserting.
• Items that can scratch the interior. Rough gemstone chips, metal filings, or abrasive objects will scratch the polished interior of a silver locket. If you want to include a stone, choose a smooth, tumbled chip and place it on a soft adhesive pad.
• Items too thick to close. Forcing a locket shut damages the hinge. If the locket does not close with gentle pressure, remove or thin out the contents. A locket that cannot close properly also loses its protective seal.
• Loose glitter or powder. These escape the locket during normal wear and create a mess. If you want color inside, use a cut piece of metallic paper instead.
• Liquids or wax that has not fully set. Liquid fragrances, essential oils, or semi-liquid wax can leak and permanently stain or damage the locket interior.

For more information on locket styles that work with specific keepsakes, see our heart locket necklace guide and our complete guide to photo locket necklaces.

If you are ready to choose a locket, browse our full range of sterling silver options at AJLuxe Personalized Jewelry. Each locket is made in 925 sterling silver with a polished interior window sized for standard keepsakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put a photo in any locket?

Most lockets are designed to hold at least one photo, but the interior size varies. Always measure the interior window before printing a photo. Some decorative lockets have a very shallow interior depth and cannot accommodate anything thicker than a single sheet of laminated photo paper. Lockets described as "photo lockets" typically have a deeper interior chamber and sometimes include a built-in photo frame insert.

How do I cut a photo to fit a locket?

Crop your photo digitally to a square or circle, print it at the smallest wallet size available, then trim it to match the locket's interior window using small scissors or a circle craft punch. Aim to cut the photo 0.5 mm smaller than the interior dimension so it lies flat without curling at the edges. Laminating the photo before trimming makes it easier to handle and extends its lifespan inside the locket.

Can you put a lock of hair in a locket?

Yes. Keeping a lock of hair inside a locket is one of the oldest and most common traditions associated with this type of jewelry. Tie the hair with a thin thread, fold the bundle flat, and make sure it is completely dry before inserting. A 20 mm or larger locket comfortably accommodates a small, flat bundle of hair. Place the bundle on one side of the interior so a photo can still fit on the opposite side if desired.

What size photo fits in a 20mm locket?

A 20 mm locket has an interior window of approximately 16 × 16 mm. You need a photo trimmed to roughly 15 mm square — about the size of a large postage stamp. Print your photo at wallet size and trim it down, or use a 5/8-inch (16 mm) circle punch for a round window. If your locket has an oval rather than circular window, trim to approximately 14 × 18 mm.

Can you put multiple photos in one locket?

Yes, if the locket is large enough and the photos are thin enough. The safest approach is to print two photos back-to-back on a single sheet of laminated photo paper so you only have the thickness of one item. Stacking two separate printed photos usually makes the locket too thick to close properly. Some 30 mm and larger lockets are specifically designed with two interior panels, each holding a separate photo.

How do you preserve items in a locket?

Laminate paper items before inserting them. Fully dry all organic matter (flowers, herbs, hair, fabric) for at least two to four weeks before placing them inside a metal locket. Use a repositionable adhesive gel pad to hold items in place without permanent glue. Avoid overfilling — contents should stack no thicker than 1 mm. Open the locket occasionally to check that no moisture has built up inside, especially if you wear it during exercise or in humid conditions.

What's the most meaningful thing to put in a locket?

The most meaningful item is the one with the strongest personal association. For most people, that is a photograph of someone they love. For others, it is a handwritten note, a lock of hair, or a pressed flower from a specific moment in time. A locket's meaning comes entirely from what is inside it — there is no objectively "best" filling, only the one that carries the most weight for the person wearing it.

How do you remove and replace items in a locket?

Open the locket fully and use a thin, blunt tool — a toothpick, a wooden cuticle stick, or the tip of a clean folded piece of paper — to slide the contents out from one edge. Avoid metal tools like tweezers, which can scratch the interior. If you used a repositionable adhesive gel pad to hold the item in place, it will release cleanly and can be reused. Replace items by sliding the new contents in from the edge and pressing gently flat before closing the locket.