Christian Dior Padlock and Keys Chain Necklace and Bracelet
Heavy metal, literally
If you have been following me for awhile, you’d know I have been collecting vintage costume jewelry for more than a decade now. Christian Dior jewelry is one of my favourites to collect, especially those by Gianfranco Ferré and John Galliano.
When I picked up these two pieces on separate occasions, I did not expect to ever wear them together in any way since I dislike mixing metals, but the 2025 trend got me itching to try it out. I did swap the pendants in my previous outfit here, but here is a close-up of the pieces with their respective (and matching) pendants:
I acquired the necklace first; although I have always preferred gold tone metals, ironically, I was initially aiming for a silver version! There is just something inherently cool about chunky curb chains with oversized pendants, no? Word of advice; you may not want to wear these for too long because they are weighty! Although I reckon it would be a great exercise for your neck or wrists, hahaha.
Research eventually brought me to Christian Dior Haute Couture S/S 2001, where a silver version of the necklace went down the runway:
If you’re looking to add these into your collection, take note of the chain that comes with it; I have seen a few sellers selling it with a replacement chain instead of the original. Although it is still wearable, if you’re is a stickler for original parts, it is something you should be aware of. Also, make sure they come with the original keys; there should be a pair of them, but I noticed quite a number of them are often missing one. You definitely need a key to wear the jewelry, because you need to unlock the padlock, hook it onto the chain ends, then lock it back to secure. You can wear them out without the keys, although when I wore it with them, they were pretty secure. Still, I do not recommend losing the keys, otherwise you may have to call a locksmith just to get you out of the jewelry!
Just for fun: I also happen to have the dainty version of the necklace in both gold and silver. If you don’t fancy getting your neck stuck in heavy jewelry, these are perfect for the look without the fuss. Sadly, the little padlock and keys are only decorative, but they fasten with a lobster clasp which is a lot easier to get in and out of.
