Sealed with a Kiss
©2025 by Cynthia Rutledge
When you think of the words “Sealed with a Kiss” you are probably thinking about the 1960’s song of the same name by Brian Hyland. The song refers to two lovers who have had to part ways over the summer. They promise to send love and dreams in daily letters “sealed with a kiss”. They also bind each other to a pledge, under the seal of a kiss, that they would reunite in September.
But seriously, the term actually comes from Roman times, when literacy rates were low and a signature could not be relied on, so a public kiss was used to seal a legal contract. It became the signature of choice in the Middle Ages, when few could write and documents were sealed with an x embossed in wax or lead. This may be when the “x'' first became associated with the kiss. It was customary to close books with a kiss, and oaths of fealty to kings were sealed with a kiss.
Another interesting historical fact is the history of the wax seal. This process dates back to the ancient seals in Mesopotamia for authenticating clay tablets, but they became prominent in the Middle Ages for sealing documents, like letters and decrees, primarily among the wealthy and clergy. Used as a personal signature or symbol of authority, often featuring a unique crest or emblem, these seals authenticated correspondence, and their use spread to commoners by the 13th century. Wax seals largely fell out of use with the rise of modern, self-sealing envelopes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but they are now experiencing a resurgence as a decorative element.
Sealed with a Kiss is a long sautoir-style necklace with lots of detail. The central pendant is a painting under glass that is bezeled. The pendent details continue with the addition of pearls, a bezeled oval CZ and a decorative wax seal. The necklace chain is quite amazing. Marquise-shaped units alternate with bezeled pearl cabochons for a stunning necklace chain.
Skill level: Intermediate to advanced.
Workshop length: This is a 1-day workshop.
Dimensions: Pendant is 4” long and the necklace chain is 32” long.
Techniques:
Bezel work
Flat and tubular peyote stitch with increasing and decreasing
Stitching-in-the-ditch
Surface embellishment