Many are surprised to know that Whitby Jet is actually fossilised wood. It begins its life as an Araucaria tree or as many now refer to it, Monkey Puzzle or Chilean Pine. It was formed millions and millions ago in the Jurassic era after a few natural disasters. We feel so proud that the exquisite gemstone that many travel so far to see originates in our seaside town.
How Whitby Jet Forms
So, as we’ve explained Whitby Jet once was an Araucaria tree. A whole forest was swept in to the ocean after a series of natural disasters. The trunk and branches of each tree became saturated with water falling to the seabed and becoming buried in sedimentary mud. An anaerobic seal prevented decomposition because of the lack of air, oxygen and light. Every piece of wood absorbed the hydrocarbon oils causing chemical changes in the plant cells, which stopped silicification. A process where organic matter is replaced by silica.
The trees remained stuck in the sedimentary mud for a lot of years. We’re talking approximately 180 - 200 million years. So a long, long time. As the layers of mud built on top, there was an immense amount of pressure and not much oxygen. It was all these factors combined that caused for Whitby Jet to form.
Where to Find Whitby Jet
This all happened on the coastline of our small town. The finest Jet is sourced from our local beaches by experienced gem hunters. They know exactly what spots to head to after a storm and have a keen eye to spot the genuine pieces that have eroded from the cliff face. Unlike the Victorian days, Whitby Jet is illegal to mine and therefore, the more sustainable approach is taken of waiting for the Jet to be combed from the beach. During the 1800s the landscape of the area was completely altered. It was dangerous too. Therefore, we can completely understand the decision to stop mining for Jet.
The Real Deal
All expert Jet hunters can spot the fakes on the sandy beaches. Inexperienced beach combers who fancy finding some Jet for themselves might not. Surprisingly, coal and even charcoal from beach BBQ’s can easily be mistaken for the real deal. Whitby Jet looks really different on the shoreline than it does when it leaves our workshop bench and is displayed in store or photographed for our website. Therefore, it is easy to understand where the confusion comes from.
Always buy from a reputable retailer - like us. Unfortunately, there may be untrustworthy sellers in the industry who try to sell fake imitations passing them off as genuine Whitby Jet. There are foreign Jets that are sourced from France and Spain yet these do not match the quality of the gems found here in Whitby. Other lookalikes include ebonite, vulcanite, bakelite and onyx. There are some simple tests that you can do but the easiest way to own the real deal is buy from a professional or ask them if you are unsure.
