Jet is a beautiful black hydrocarbon gemstone that's been carved in jewellery, decorative objects and special amulets for thousands of years; a jet bead found near Oviedo in Spain, is potentially believed to be the oldest decorative object made from jet so far discovered, reportedly being nearly 17000 years old!

Throughout history, jet has been prized for its dramatic black colour and ability to be easily worked by hand, making it an ideal material for carving intricate designs. It's found around the world, including places like France, USA, Spain and China, with English Whitby Jet considered by jet collector's to be the best quality due to how it was formed in salty waters (which apparently make it harder and less likely to crack) rather than freshwater (which is believed to produce a softer and less robust jet).

While in modern times many people tend to associate jet with the Victorian era (in particular its use in decorative sentimental jewellery), before this period it was held in serious regard by many cultures due to its believed magical powers and healing properties, and was also worn as a protective amulet. 

Jet has been found among Viking archaeological sites, suggesting they appreciated jet for its beauty and possibly for protective or ritualistic purposes. The ancient Romans highly valued jet and it was carved into intricate cameos, beads, and other decorative items, with some excavated jet items also showing signs of rub marks - there is a theory that this is something to do with jets natural ability to produce static electricity when rubbed, and perhaps some how this may have been utilized in Roman rituals or belief systems. 

Jet also has historical legend and mythological links to protection against the 'evil eye', malevolent spirits and especially protection from snakes; carved jet serpent pendants over a thousand years old have been discovered in both England and Norway, and there's a legend that St Hilda, the Abbess and founder of Whitby Abbey, prayed to God to remove some snakes from the site of the Abbey, and with the help of a wand made from Whitby jet she was given the power to turn the snakes into stone,

In the contemporary era, jet is classed as a hydrocarbon mineraloid and a type of fossilized driftwood that is derived from the remains of ancient trees; these remains became saturated with hydrocarbon/ bitumen, and were then subjected to a complex sedimentary geological process, resulting in the compaction and formation of this beautiful gemstone. For some reason it's still romantically reported that Whitby jet comes from the monkey puzzle tree, but this has been repeatedly shown as untrue when samples have been studied in a scientific setting.

Soft and lightweight, many people who have never seen or touched polished jet before are expecting a heavy cold stone, and are surprised by its warmth and lightness, some even remarking that it almost feels plastic. Don't be fooled though - when finished into a gemstone jet is robust and long lasting - it can survive thousands of years in archaeological sites after all! Jet is also hugely versatile - it can be easily carved, and finished to a variety of appearances, from silky matte to an extremely high glossy shine. Being such a deeply historic gem, jet also has a number of other names it's sometimes known by, including: black stone, azabache , gagates, witches amber, black diamond, and black amber (please note the last three are misnomers and shouldn't be used - jet is not a type of amber, nor is it a diamond).

In modern times, jet continues to be loved for its stunning aesthetic appearance and historical significance, and remains a sought after gemstone in the creation of special and unique jewellery. Its intriguing geological origin, coupled with its enduring worldwide cultural and historical significance, ensures that jet holds a important place in the world of gemstones and decorative arts.