Whitby Jet is an organic gemstone made from the fossilised wood of the ancient monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria). Although deposits of Jet have been found in many places around the world, such as North America, Spain, and the Baltic regions, the Jet found around the North Yorkshire coast around Whitby has always been considered the finest due to its stable nature and the mirror like shine it can achieve when being polished. This is due to the lack of oxygen and immense pressure compacted onto the material during the fossilisation process.
Jet is one of the oldest gemstones known to man, with pieces of worked Jet dating back to the stone age, It was also highly prized during the Bronze age, and a large Jet industry existed during Roman times, the principle manufacturing taking place in a workshop in the city of York, which distributed items of worked Jet to all corners of the Roman Empire.
However it was during the Victorian era when Whitby Jet reached its height of popularity. Worn by Queen Victoria after the death of her husband Prince Albert, the local gemstone became an overnight sensation.
Because of its royal patronage, its ability to be carved into the most intricate of designs, its comfortability when being worn due to its lightness in weight, and also its world famous mirror-like shine, Victorian society could not get enough of this local product.
One hundred years on, Whitby Jet is now enjoying a well earned renaissance. With its associations with mourning long gone, this ever more rare local gemstone is now set in exciting modern designs using traditional hand crafting skills as well as revolutionary new techniques including Computer Aided Design (CAD).
Whitby Jet is now more likely to be found set in high end jewellery, alongside diamonds and in 18ct gold and platinum.
Whitby Jet has a hardness of 2.5 on the Moh’s Scale.
Jet is one of the oldest gemstones known to man, with pieces of worked Jet dating back to the stone age, It was also highly prized during the Bronze age, and a large Jet industry existed during Roman times, the principle manufacturing taking place in a workshop in the city of York, which distributed items of worked Jet to all corners of the Roman Empire.
However it was during the Victorian era when Whitby Jet reached its height of popularity. Worn by Queen Victoria after the death of her husband Prince Albert, the local gemstone became an overnight sensation.
Because of its royal patronage, its ability to be carved into the most intricate of designs, its comfortability when being worn due to its lightness in weight, and also its world famous mirror-like shine, Victorian society could not get enough of this local product.
One hundred years on, Whitby Jet is now enjoying a well earned renaissance. With its associations with mourning long gone, this ever more rare local gemstone is now set in exciting modern designs using traditional hand crafting skills as well as revolutionary new techniques including Computer Aided Design (CAD).
Whitby Jet is now more likely to be found set in high end jewellery, alongside diamonds and in 18ct gold and platinum.
Whitby Jet has a hardness of 2.5 on the Moh’s Scale.
