Gems, Precious Stones, Precious Metals - Jet

Jet - Gem Color 10 - #343434

Jet is a geological material and is considered to be a minor gemstone. Jet is not considered a true mineral, but rather a mineraloid as it has an organic origin, being derived from decaying wood under extreme pressure. The English noun "jet" derives from the French word for the same material: jaiet. Jet is either black or dark brown, but may contain pyrite inclusions, which are of brassy color and metallic lustre.

Jet is a product of high pressure decomposition of wood from millions of years ago, commonly the wood of trees of the family Araucariaceae. Hard jet is the result of the carbon compression and salt water; soft jet is the result of the carbon compression and fresh water. The jet found at Whitby, England is of early Jurassic age, approximately 182 million years old.

Jet is easily polished and is used in manufacturing jewelery, some dating from 10,000 BC in parts of Germany. The oldest jet jewelery was found in Asturias, Spain, dating from 17,000 BC.