Blue John is a semi-precious gemstone found only in a small area of Derbyshire in the UK. It is a variation of fluorite, also known as fluor-spa, which is a mineral form of calcium fluoride. However, Blue John differs from any other form of fluor-spa found before for its unique crystal structure and striking coloured veins. It is considered Britain’s rarest mineral with only a few small veins and nodules of the gemstone remaining.
It is not known exactly where the name Blue John derives from, but it is believed to have originated from the French term ‘blue et jaune’ which translates to ‘blue and yellow’, tributing the stone’s distinctive bands of blue, purple and yellow. It is thought that the Romans were the first to discover Blue John over 2,000 years ago and they admired the striking colours of the stone so much they crafted it into ornaments, jewellery and other highly prized pieces.
The rarity of Blue John and its unique colouring of purple, blue and yellow makes the jewellery it adorns incredibly valuable and highly coveted. At C W Sellors, we have been handcrafting award-winning Blue John jewellery for over 30 years. With an unrivalled design service and a skilled team of lapidarists, we can transform each piece of naturally formed Blue John gemstone into elegant and bespoke jewellery designs. Shop our Blue John jewellery here.
WHERE IS BLUE JOHN FOUND?
Blue John has only ever been found in one location, in the small village of Castleton in Derbyshire, England. To the west of Castleton in the hillside, there are four known locations that have housed Blue John: Peak Cavern, Speedwell Cavern, Blue John Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern. Out of these, only two remain as working Blue John mines.
Treak Cliff Cavern is one of these last working Blue John mines and is widely believed to be the very first mine to ever excavate the gemstone. First opening in 1745, Treak Cliff Cavern continues to unearth occasional pieces of Blue John today however due to the rarity of the stone, mining only happens on a small scale during the quiet winter months. Tourists are able to visit Treak Cliff Cavern throughout the year, allowing visitors to witness the birthplace of the rare and famous British gemstone.
HISTORY OF BLUE JOHN
The very first extracts of Blue John were believed to have been discovered by the Romans 2,000 years ago when they settled three miles from Castleton in the village of Brough. It is thought that the Romans began searching for deposits of lead in the hillside before discovering the semi-precious gemstone out of luck.
The Romans were known for being keen mineralogists, having also discovered jasper, cornelian and amethyst, so they would have instantly recognised the beauty of the Blue John mineral. The stone’s breathtaking bands of purple, blue and yellow would have immediately caught their eye and compelled them to craft it into valuable ornaments and jewellery. There are also reports that two Blue John vases were discovered in Pompeii proving that Blue John was transported overseas and treasured for its ornamental value.
It wasn’t until the 19th century that Blue John reached the peak of its popularity. During the Regency period, Blue John was highly regarded for its colour and crafted into vases, tables, columns and windows. To own Blue John was an honour held only by the upper class with establishments like Buckingham Palace and Chatsworth House boasting ornaments and decorative features created from the rare mineral.
Unfortunately, during the first world war, Blue John was heavily mined leaving remaining veins in short supply. Since there was a high demand for supplies to assist with the war effort, varieties of fluorspar, including Blue John, were extracted for use in the chemical industry and as flux in blast furnaces. After the war, in an attempt to retrieve any remaining veins of Blue John that may still have existed, miners used explosives within the caverns at Castleton. Through pure luck, the miners discovered an extension to the natural cavern decorated with stalactites. The land owner at the time, Colonel Broadbent, took it upon himself to protect and preserve the remaining cave passageways and on April 1st, 1935, he opened the caves to the public for the very first time.
After the death of Colonel Broadbent and the old miner John Royse, the Blue John caverns were taken over by the Harrison family in 1945. But before John Royse’s passing, he reported discovering a previously unknown source of Blue John within the caverns. Unfortunately, he died before he was able to reveal the location and for many years it was in doubt whether this new vein ever existed.
Then in January 2013, 68 years after the death of John Royse, this ‘Lost Vein’ of Blue John was rediscovered. It was found concealed behind wooden battens, a piece of carpet and a layer of clay. This lost vein of Blue John was one of Derbyshire’s greatest mysteries and its discovery relit the country’s love for this gorgeous British gemstone
More recently in 2015, another vein of Blue John was discovered by a miner experimenting with a new specialist chainsaw method. This new vein was named the ‘Ridley Vein’ after its discoverer Gary Ridley. The new discovery entered the record books for becoming the fifteenth variety of Blue John vein.
C W SELLORS AND BLUE JOHN JEWELLERY
C W Sellors have been designing and handcrafting exquisite collections of Blue John jewellery for over 30 years, sourcing the raw gemstone from the Treak Cliff Cavern before cutting, polishing and setting it into sterling silver and gold. Our award-winning collections are made within our own Derbyshire-based workshops where our team of skilled lapidarists transform each piece of naturally formed Blue John gemstone into stunning pieces of jewellery.
With exclusive access to this prized gemstone, we are able to produce jewellery that is bespoke to anything created before and since each vein of Blue John is so different in its colours and shapes, every piece of Blue John jewellery we design is completely unique. This rare and highly treasured gemstone makes for the most valuable procession for anyone who loves fine jewellery and award-winning British design.
Shop our Blue John jewellery here.
