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We were very sad to hear that Queen Elizabeth passed away this last week, and with her, a long and challenging era of dramatic change. The work she did for her country during her 70-year reign was more than admirable, and so is the dignity and care with which she did it. There will probably never be another quite like her and she was respected world wide.
In thinking back to the era of the next-longest reigning regent, Queen Victoria, I wonder if there will be jewelry styles that honor our latest queen too, as Whitby jet jewelry did for Queen Victoria and her memory of Prince Albert. Any guesses what kind of jewelry that might be?
During part of the Victorian period from about 1860 to 1890, with the death of Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert in 1861, black jewelry became the height of fashion. Jewelry and ornaments made of jet, vulcanite, bog oak or pressed horn could carry a special meaning as a memento of a loved one or a special sentiment. A brooch in the shape of a hand carrying a bouquet conveyed the message symbolized by the flowers, photos might be housed inside lockets and watch fobs, and portraits were hand painted on bracelets, pendants and earrings. While some black jewelry was meant to be worn during mourning, black jewelry was fashionable when not in mourning as well, worn for just for its beauty. I am pleased to say that many pieces of jet jewelry from my personal collection are now in the "Museum of Whitby Jet", and it's a perfect place to see the wide range of jewelry that was made of jet.
My dear friend Katy Muller, co-author of the book "Whitby Jet Jewellery" says the following: "Should you wish to find a jewel which will protect you from the evil eye, from serpents and from dogs, go to Whitby, a small fishing village famous for its medieval abbey and Dracula but most famous for its jet manufacture.
"Jet is an organic gem, like amber, pearls, coral and ivory. It is a type of brown coal, a fossilized wood of an ancient tree similar to our present day Araucaria or monkey puzzle tree. These trees flourished in the Jurassic period about 180 million years ago. When the trees died they fell into the river and were carried down to the sea. On their way they collected debris and small creatures and chemical changes altered the wood to jet.
"Jet is a poor conductor of heat and so feels warm to the touch and there are two types of jet, hard and soft. There is no doubt that in the minds of Yorkshiremen the best hard jet of all comes from around Whitby, found in the cliffs and on the beaches. This was the jet that was used for the jet jewellery industry. Mining began in about 1840 and stopped around 1920. Pieces of jet can still be found washed up on the beaches in Whitby today.
"As a result of the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, jet jewellery from Whitby became highly popular, but it was the death of Prince Albert that boosted the Industry when the courts announced that everyone should follow the mourning dress code of black and "the jewellery shall be jet". During this period jet workers were to be found all over the town and purpose built jet shops were opening all over Whitby. The workers were earning good money and working all hours turning out beautiful jet jewellery.
Always try and buy jet from a reputable dealer who knows the difference between genuine jet and the imitations." Courtesy of Katy Muller
To buy Victorian Whitby jet jewelry, click HERE.
To see our Victorian galleries of Whitby jet and other black jewelry of that era, click HERE for brooches, HERE for bracelets and HERE for necklaces and chains.
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