All About French Jet Jewellery | 3 Fascinating Facts
What is Jet Jewellery?
Whitby jet is an organic material, ranging from dense black to dark brown, formed from the fossilised wood of the Monkey-puzzle tree. Because it is created from decaying wood under extreme pressure—similar to coal—it is classified as a mineraloid rather than a mineral. Consequently, some traditional measures used for intrinsic materials do not apply.
French Jet is not made in France!
French jet jewellery was made from shiny black glass, which was cut and backed, with black-coated steel early last century when Whitby jet mining (an organic rock from coal) was banned.
Why was jet so fashionable?
The fashion for jet jewellery started in the 1800’s as mourning jewellery, when Queen Victoria wore a necklace to a banquet after the death of her cousin followed by the death of Albert and accidentally caused a fashion sensation. Jet (high-grade fossilised pine) was considered the only suitable material for mourning. By the end of the 19th century imitations of jet were being made in costume jewellery in Bohemia for French designers. (hence the name "French jet")
The fashion for jet jewellery started in the 1800’s as mourning jewellery, when Queen Victoria wore a necklace to a banquet after the death of her cousin followed by the death of Albert and accidentally caused a fashion sensation. Jet (high-grade fossilised pine) was considered the only suitable material for mourning. By the end of the 19th century imitations of jet were being made in costume jewellery in Bohemia for French designers. (hence the name "French jet")
