Description
Genuine 14g Whitby Jet – Natural Fossilised Gemstone from Whitby, North Yorkshire
This authentic 14g Whitby Jet specimen is a beautifully preserved piece of fossilised wood from the famous cliffs of Whitby, on England’s rugged North Yorkshire coast. Exhibiting its characteristic deep black sheen, lightweight texture, and silky lustre, this piece represents one of Britain’s most iconic and historically significant gemstones. Each Whitby Jet specimen is unique, formed millions of years ago through the transformation of ancient tree material under geological pressure. This piece has been carefully chosen for its fine texture, excellent polish, and rich, natural colour.
The photo shows the exact specimen you will receive, and a 1 cm scale cube is included for accurate size reference. Every specimen is 100% genuine, sourced directly from the Whitby region, and supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity confirming its provenance and natural origin.
Geological Formation and Origin
Whitby Jet is an organic fossilised form of Araucaria tree wood, dating back to the Jurassic Period (approximately 182 million years ago). It is found within the Whitby Mudstone Formation, a sequence of marine shales and mudstones deposited during the Lower Toarcian Stage of the Early Jurassic. These deposits formed in a shallow marine environment rich in organic material, where ancient coniferous forests once thrived along coastal floodplains.
Over millions of years, the buried wood was subjected to extreme pressure and partial decomposition in an oxygen-depleted environment, resulting in a compact, jet-black material composed primarily of carbon. Unlike coal, Whitby Jet has a uniform structure and fine texture, formed from single pieces of wood rather than layers of plant debris.
The Whitby coastline remains the most famous and historically significant source of true Jet, producing specimens with exceptional quality and deep lustre. It is found mainly in the cliffs between Robin Hood’s Bay and Staithes, where erosion of the Jurassic shales continues to expose small nodules and veins of Jet.
Mineralogical Characteristics
- Type: Organic Mineraloid (Fossilised Wood)
- Composition: Predominantly Carbon, with minor Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Sulphur
- Geological Age: Early Jurassic (~182 million years old)
- Formation: Fossilisation of Araucaria wood under high pressure
- Specific Gravity: 1.3 – 1.4 (lightweight)
- Hardness: 2.5 – 4.0 on the Mohs scale
- Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven
- Lustre: Dull to vitreous when polished
- Colour: Deep black, occasionally brownish-black
Whitby Jet is classed as a mineraloid rather than a true mineral, as it lacks a crystalline structure. When polished, it takes on a highly reflective, glass-like surface, making it ideal for decorative and jewellery purposes. Due to its lightweight and compact nature, Jet can be carved or turned into fine ornamental pieces with remarkable detail. Its organic composition sets it apart from other black gemstones such as obsidian or tourmaline, giving it a warm, tactile feel and unique lustre.
Visual and Aesthetic Qualities
This 14g Whitby Jet specimen displays the classic rich, velvety black hue that has made this material famous worldwide. When polished, it reveals a mirror-like sheen that contrasts beautifully with its natural matte surfaces and subtle grain patterns. Its smooth, lightweight texture makes it both visually appealing and comfortable to handle. Under direct light, the piece exhibits a soft, almost metallic glint, reflecting the fine structure of the fossilised wood fibres within.
Because each piece of Jet originates from a single tree source, no two specimens are ever identical. The organic structure often retains traces of the original wood grain, giving it an organic, ancient quality that connects the collector directly to the Jurassic forests of prehistoric Yorkshire. This natural gemstone is perfect for collectors of British fossils, gemstone enthusiasts, or those who appreciate the deep historical and geological story behind each piece.
Historical and Cultural Significance
Whitby Jet has a long and fascinating history. It has been used since the Bronze Age for ornaments, beads, and protective amulets, prized for its rich colour and smooth finish. During the Victorian Era, it became especially famous when Queen Victoria adopted Jet jewellery as part of her mourning attire after the death of Prince Albert in 1861. The royal association sparked widespread popularity, turning Whitby into a centre for fine jet craftsmanship.
The unique properties of Whitby Jet — light weight, ease of carving, and brilliant polish — made it a material of choice for brooches, necklaces, rosary beads, and cameos. Today, Whitby Jet remains a legally protected geological heritage material, collected only from fallen cliff material and never mined, to preserve the natural coastal environment. Genuine Whitby Jet continues to hold significant historical and cultural value as a distinctly British gemstone, representing both natural beauty and artisanal heritage.
Geological and Scientific Context
Whitby Jet offers valuable insight into Jurassic palaeoenvironments, preserving evidence of ancient coniferous forests that once lined Britain’s prehistoric coasts. Its transformation from living tree to fossil gemstone provides an extraordinary record of carbonisation and fossilisation under anoxic marine conditions. The fine molecular structure of Jet demonstrates the progressive alteration of organic matter into compact, stable carbon — a process that bridges geology, chemistry, and palaeobotany.
Because of its purity and preservation, Whitby Jet is used as a reference material for studies of fossilised organic matter and early coal formation processes. It represents a unique intersection of biological and geological history — a tangible remnant of the life and climate of the Jurassic world.
Authenticity and Provenance
All of our specimens are 100% genuine and responsibly sourced, with no artificial dyes or treatments. This 14g Whitby Jet piece has been selected for its natural depth of colour, smooth polish, and exceptional quality. It is supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity, verifying its origin from the Whitby region of North Yorkshire, England.
The exact specimen shown in the photographs is the one you will receive. With its deep historical roots, timeless aesthetic, and direct connection to Earth’s ancient past, this Whitby Jet gemstone is a remarkable piece of natural heritage — both a geological treasure and a cultural artefact of enduring beauty.
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