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Jet Jewelry @ Jewel Info 4 U
By: Ms Nandita Ray
Part of organic
jewelry series
Organic jewelry Part 2,
Part3
Jet JewelryAlso called
'Mourning Jewelry' mainly because it
has been used for such occasion and
also because of its dark black
color, the symbol of sadness. It
flourished during the staid
Victorian Age when people wore it to
mourn a loved one. This was started
by Queen Victoria who wore jet
jewelry to mourn the death of her
mother and her beloved husband
Albert. Jet is fossilized coal,
formed from wood. It can be carved
and shaped easily and takes to
polish like duck to water. It has
been used since ancient times. It is
believed that the first recorded use
of Jet was by the Magdalenian
artisans. In 1500 rosary beads were
made. In the 15th century an English
mourning ring decorated with a skull
and with strand of hair and
inscribed with date of birth was
crafted for "Iohes Godefray". Greeks
were known to have used it in
200B.C.
Jet is compressed driftwood which
when saturated with water sinks to
the floor of the sea and remains
there for ages. These remains of
coniferous trees get compressed and
hardened and chemically changed due
to heat, pressure and the chemicals
present in the water. When plants
wither and die in wet environs or
peat swamps, the presence of low
oxygen and bacteria prevent it from
decaying completely. Different
debris and waste settle on it,
compress it, wring out all the water
and change it into Lignite. This is
the lowest grade of coal and nearly
half the world's total coal reserves
contain Lignite. It is brownish
black in color and is called brown
coal or witches amber or black amber
or Agstein.
Jet is considered semi precious and
real Jet is hard to get. It has a
dark metallic luster and is
lightweight. Best Jet is found in
Yorkshire, England. Its mining
started in 1850. By 1873 there were
200 Jet shops. However mining Jet is
illegal today. Pieces that wash up
on the shore can be collected and
crafted into jewelry. Brooches,
rings, pendants, earrings bracelets,
rosary beads, pins and necklaces are
made from this. Imitations abound
and therefore buying real Jet is
quite a task. French Jet is black
glass made in USA. Dyed horn and
plastics, Vulcanite, a sulpherized
rubber, or the sap of the Mayan tree
is also passed off as Jet.
Tips for buying Jet JewelryReal Jet will have a metallic
luster.
Real Jet when rubbed will get
electrically charged.
If rubbed on a rough surface it will
leave a brownish color.
Related Links :
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Belly Button Piercing
The Egyptians, the Indians and many other cultures pierced this humble button to show the significance of the person sporting a pierced navel - Royalty, Warriors, exceptional Beauty. |
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