Jet: The solemn gemstone

The stone has no crystal structure; it is amorphous, formed from wood that falls into stagnant water. Beneath the pressure of layered material, jet forms and becomes compacted and fossilised over many thousands of years. Most commonly it is uncovered in rocks of marine origin. This is how it differs from coal. 

With a hardness rating ranging from 2.5 to four on Moh's scale, it's a little surprising to note that jet has been fashioned into jewellery items since 1400 BC, and the earliest known use of the gem dates to prehistoric times where it was incorporated into burial mounds. 

Jet has always been considered sombre and mysterious and was associated with death as late as the Victorian era. In 1861, following the passing of her husband Prince Albert, Queen Victoria had several pieces of jet carved into mourning jewellery. Consequently, almost every family in the land followed and jet rose to prominence under morose circumstances. 

Beads, brooches, bracelets, earrings, hair ornaments and cameo rings were popular examples of jet at the time and, perhaps continuing its link with the afterlife, the gem was particularly favoured for use in ecclesiastical jewellery, such as rosary beads. 

Ancient Greeks believed wearing jet would invoke the favour of the Gods. Similarly, the Pueblo Indians buried jet with their dead. They believed it would protect the deceased in the after-life. Other ancient cultures thought jet could protect wearers against the evil eye, impending illness, domestic abuse and personal attacks. Jet is said to guard wearers against negative energies causing depression. Because it absorbs this energy, many believe jet should be frequently exposed to sunlight, to cleanse it of the negativity it traps. 

Romans, who mined the stone in England, believed kindling jet fumes had the power to ward off snakes, relieve suffocation of the uterus and detect preserved virginity.

  

Healing properties assigned to jet include its proposed ability to cure fever and aid the pain of toothaches. Because jet is lightweight, it presents a quality option for large jewellery pieces and today, many jewellers and craftsmen continue to include it. Recent works highlight a trend to marry jet with silver because of the stark colour contrast between the two (much in the same way that black onyx has become a darling for stainless steel manufacturers).

Jet's name comes from the French word Jaiet, derived from the Greek words lithos gagtes, meaning stone of Gagas. Gagas is a reference to the Turkish town where jet was first discovered, though the world's most famous jet location is Whitby, England. The local economy in this Yorkshire town depended entirely upon jet extraction thorough the 1800s. An accompanying carving and polishing industry also thrived. Whitby is still recognised as one of the primary sources of the finest quality jet.

Caring for jet is relatively simple, by comparison to other stones. It polishes well as a base for carvings.