A museum quality Victorian Whitby jet necklace, comprised of twelve graduated carved and pierced oval panels interspaced with anchor links. It has three graduated tear drop panels that have beautiful androgynous helmeted warriors with long hair. These hang on elongated links of jet.
This necklace is entirely carved by hand and is made of Whitby jet, which is an organic material a lightweight gemstone found on the beaches of Whitby in England. The material of jet was highly sought after then, and still expensive to this day. Jet was very popular as a gemstone for jewelry during the reign of Queen Victoria. She wore jet as part of her mourning dress after the death of Prince Albert. Since then, jet has been associated with mourning and became very fashionable in Europe.
The necklace is 20.5 inch long and has a 14K gold hidden clasp. It is large and chunky with the smallest oval panel being 5/8" x 3/4" and the largest teardrop being 2 1/4" x 1/12". The largest teardrop is signed on the back S.Starling. It looks fabulous on and is sure to make a statement.
This piece dates to the 1860s and has a nice Gothic quality. Its somber black color and bold presence are very striking. It would look fantastic worn with a black shirt or dress. If you’d like to complete this look with earrings, we have matching Whitby warrior cameo jet drop earrings on the site!
Jet is a type of lignite and is not a mineral but is rather a mineraloid. It is derived from wood that has changed under extreme pressure.
