Since the beginning of time the moon has been a source of fascination and intrigue. The power of the moon has been legendary throughout history, playing a central role in the culture of many societies both ancient and modern. In those cultures the moon is revered and marks sacred moments in time, tells farmers when to plant and rules over the tides. Associated with the divine feminine, the moon has inspired jewelry designers to create celestial jewels that pay homage to this light in the night sky. Imbued with meaning, the crescent moon was a particularly favored jewelry motif during the Victorian era, because the moon was a symbol of femininity and the changing cycles of life, good reasons to gift mom the moon for Mother’s Day.
Selene, Luna and the Moon
The Victorians had a strong interest in ancient history, fueled in part by the many archeological digs that were going on at the time. They were influenced by the mythology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, with both cultures having strong ties to the moon.
The Greeks believed that the moon represented the divine feminine. They worshiped the moon Goddess Selene, who governed fertility, so Greek women often prayed to her when they wanted to get pregnant. The ancient Romans celebrated the moon Goddess Luna, who marked the passage of time, the changing seasons and sacred festivals. The moon’s connection with time is found in the form of the lunar calendar which continues to be used to this day to set the dates for major religious holidays and other events. Artemis, the Greek Goddess of the hunt and Diana, the Roman Goddess of the hunt, were also associated with the moon.
Victorian Moon Symbology
To the Victorians, the moon symbolized femininity and power, as well as the changing cycles of a woman’s life – maiden, mother and wise woman. The new moon is the maiden, as the moon grows bigger, known as the waxing moon, it becomes the full moon known as the mother moon as the moon wanes and gets smaller, it becomes the wise woman, which then morphs into a new moon and starts the cycle over again.
For women of that era, the moon was considered a talisman of protection. The crescent moon protected one from negative energy, while fending off evil spirits. The moon is also associated with heightened intuition, kindness and nurturing, all considered desirable feminine traits by the Victorians.
The Moon Message
The Industrial Revolution was well underway during the Victorian era, so women were starting to find work outside of the home in factories and the crescent moon was seen as a symbol of empowerment as women went about the business of earning money. The moon was also an important marker of change and the ability to embrace change, such as changes brought about by women’s newly emerging roles in society, as well as the technological advances that were happening at the time.
Allegedly, a crescent moon was also a signal that a single woman wanted to get married. It implied the development of the relationship from courtship, the crescent moon, to marriage, represented by the full moon. Crescent moon jewelry was sometimes gifted to a woman during courtship, signifying strong emotions, eternal love and commitment.
How to Wear Your Crescent Moon
Most crescent moons are brooches that may be worn in multiple ways. The traditional way to wear your crescent moon brooch is to place it on a lapel vertically. If you wear the crescent moon with the points facing left, that will signify the waxing or growing moon, wear the points facing right and it signifies the waning, or shrinking moon.
The moon Goddesses were sometimes portrayed holding or wearing a crescent moon, often as a crown. You may choose to wear your crescent moon brooch with the points up, paying homage to the Goddesses who wear it as a crown, or wear it with the points down, which is the universal symbol of the Goddess. If you wear your brooch with the points down, an especially nice placement is to center it on the neckline underneath the hollow of your throat.
For more formal events, Victorian and Edwardian women often wore their crescent moon brooches in their hair, adding a touch of shimmer. During the Edwardian years, several crescent moon brooches were worn scattered across a neckline or bodice.
With its message of love and protection, fertility and femininity, a crescent moon brooch is a beautiful heirloom that lets mom know just how much she means to you.
Top of Page: Victorian diamond, 18-karat gold and silver crescent moon brooch, circa 1880.
Victorian old mine diamond and 18-karat gold crescent moon brooch, circa 1890; Diamond and platinum crescent moon brooch; Unheated Burma ruby, diamond, silver and 18-karat gold crescent moon brooch, French, circa 1885; Edwardian diamond, platinum and 18-karat gold crescent moon brooch, signed Tiffany & Co., circa 1900-1909.
Authored by Amber Michelle