What to put inside a locket

Trace the inside of the frame onto tracing paper, then cut the photograph a fraction inside that line. A picture that touches the rim will buckle when the locket closes, and a buckle lifts the hinge.

Use matte paper. Glossy prints stick to the metal and to each other, and they pick up moisture. If you are printing at home, a plain matte photo paper is better than sticker paper.

The usual arrangement is a face on one side and a date, a name, or a second face on the other. If both photographs are essential, keep the type off the pictures and engrave the outside edge or the back instead.

A single photograph with an empty side is a finished gift. The empty side is an invitation, not a mistake.

Engraving wants few words. A name, a date, initials, or one short line. “I love you” is a complete inscription. A paragraph will shrink until it is unreadable, and it is difficult to correct.

Write the spelling down exactly, including capitals. Check dates twice. An engraving is cut, not typed, and a wrong letter is a new piece of work.

A lock of hair, a pressed flower, or a folded note can live in a locket, and people have done it for centuries. They also hold moisture. If you add anything that is not paper or metal, let it dry fully first, and accept that it may mark the inside.

Do not overfill. If you have to press the locket shut, take something out. A hinge that is sprung open will not keep a photograph safe.