Unique faux jet necklace circa mid-late 19th century. The card reads "Jet de Bois" which roughly translates from French as "wood jet".

Jet was a popular medium for mourning jewelry in the 19th century. Queen Victoria began wearing jet jewelry when Prince Albert died in 1861, making it a highly desirable material for mourning pieces, as well.

Jet is essentially fossilized wood, formed when prehistoric trees, similar to today's Monkey Puzzle trees, sank to the bottom of the sea or a river and became pressurized, resulting in a hardened, organic gemstone after millions of years.

Jewelry made of real jet could be expensive, and more affordable imitations became popular for those who could not afford it. French jet was an imitation made of black glass.

This necklace is composed mostly of painted wooden beads (not the fossilized kind). Some of the beads appear to be some kind of ceramic.

It is a really interesting piece and comes with the original card, though no longer attached. It has a painted metal barrel clasp.

+++ Measurements +++

22-24" long

+++ Condition +++

Good condition overall with no real flaws to note other than some minor age-related wear. It is not an especially well made piece (remember, this was a cheaper alternative to the real deal), and hangs on two strings.

It does not seem fragile, but there is always a risk of the strings breaking, so I would recommend if you do wear this necklace to exercise caution.

This item is sold from a vintage boutique in Houston, TX.