Ethan Clarke
Jet jewellery, particularly Whitby jet, is highly sought after by collectors. However, due to its declining popularity in modern times, it can be difficult to find and is often replaced by plastic imitations. Jet is a fossilized wood that has been buried in peat for many years and is usually black or dark brown in colour. It is important to be able to distinguish between jet and plastic jewellery, as the price of an authentic jet item can be significantly higher than that of a plastic imitation.
Characteristics to tell Jet from Plastic Jewelry
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Jet is jet-black or dark brown in colour. Plastic jewelry, on the other hand, is often not truly black and may appear in other shades like khaki. |
| Weight | Jet is very lightweight for its size. Plastic jewelry can also be lightweight, but glass imitations tend to be heavier. |
| Texture | Jet has a glossy shine and a polished finish, although antique jet intended for mourning had a matte finish. Plastic is often softer and warmer to the touch than jet, and may have moulding marks or seams where it has been joined during manufacture. |
| Odour | When tested with a hot pin, jet produces a coal-like odour. Plastic imitations release an acrid smell. |
| Bubbles | Jet does not have bubbles as it was never liquid. Bubbles in "jet" items indicate plastic or reconstituted jet. |
| Thermal Conductivity | Jet feels warm to the touch and takes on room temperature. Glass and plastic imitations feel colder. |
| Scratch Test | Jet will not scratch glass, but glass will scratch jet. |
| Hinges | A hinge cannot be formed from jet. If the hinge is formed from the body of the material, it is likely made of Vulcanite, a common simulant of Whitby jet. |
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What You'll Learn
Jet is opaque black and void of mould lines, unlike plastic
Jet is a fossilized form of wood or driftwood, similar to coal, that has been used in jewellery-making for centuries. It is a popular black gemstone, though it can also be dark brown in colour. Jet is opaque black and, unlike plastic, it does not have mould lines or seams.
Plastic, on the other hand, is often used to imitate jet, amber, or tortoise shell. It is softer and warmer to the touch than jet, and it feels lighter in weight. Plastic will also have mould lines or seams, as it is joined or moulded together during the manufacturing process.
To identify jet, you can look for its opaque black colour and check for mould lines, which indicate a plastic imitation. You can also try the "tap test" by gently tapping the jewellery on your teeth—if it feels like glass, it is not jet. Jet is lighter than glass and will feel warm to the touch, whereas glass will feel cold and heavy.
Another test is to rub the jet between your fingers—jet has an "oily" texture. You can also test for static electricity by rubbing the jet against wool and then placing it near a strand of hair or a piece of paper—if it is jet, it should pull the hair or paper towards it.
Finally, there is the hot pin test, which should be conducted by a professional as it can decrease the value of the jewellery and may cause a fire if the jewellery is made of celluloid plastic. During this test, a hot needle is gently pierced into an inconspicuous area of the jet. Jet will not take the needle well and will emit a coal-like odour, whereas plastic will smell acrid.
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Jet is warm and lightweight, whereas plastic is cold and heavy
Jet is a fossilized wood, a form of lignite coal, that has been used in jewellery-making since ancient times. It is a popular black gemstone that has been associated with mourning jewellery since the 19th century.
Jet is characterised by its surprisingly warm and lightweight feel. Its low specific gravity means that it is lightweight, and its low thermal conductivity means that it feels warm to the touch, as heat is wicked away from its surface very slowly. On the other hand, plastic jewellery is often described as cold and heavy.
Jet is opaque black in appearance and is usually hand-carved, so no two pieces of jet jewellery are identical. It can be polished to a glossy shine, but not to the same mirror-like extent as glass or onyx. Jet can also have an "oily" texture when rubbed between the fingers.
Plastic, on the other hand, is often used to imitate jet. It is softer and warmer to the touch than glass or gemstones, and it is lightweight. Plastic jewellery may have seams where it has been joined or moulded together during manufacture, which jet does not have as it is carved.
There are several tests to distinguish jet from plastic. One is the "tap test", where you gently tap the item on your teeth—if it feels like glass, it is not jet. Another test is to look for bubbles, which indicate that the item is plastic or glass, or reconstituted jet. A more destructive test is the "hot pin test", where a hot needle is gently pierced into an inconspicuous area of the item. Jet will emit a coal-like odour, while plastic will release an acrid smell. However, this test should be conducted by a professional as it can devalue or damage the jewellery.
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Jet is often hand-carved, so no two pieces are identical
Jet is a fossilized wood that has been buried in peat for many years. It is a variety of lignite coal, giving it a distinctive black or dark brown colour. Jet is often hand-carved, so no two pieces are identical.
Jet has been used to craft jewellery for centuries, dating back to the ancient Romans and Native Americans. In the 19th century, jet jewellery flourished in Europe as a popular material for mourning jewellery. Its use declined after 1875, replaced by cheaper alternatives like black onyx and black glass.
When identifying jet jewellery, it is important to look for signs of hand-carving. Jet is often carved, faceted, and polished, so you may find small imperfections or variations in the surface that indicate it is not a moulded piece. Authentic jet is opaque black and free of mould lines, which are common in plastic replicas.
The weight of jet jewellery can also be a telling sign. Jet is known for its lightweight properties, so if a piece feels heavy, it is likely not jet. However, lightweight jewellery could also be plastic, so this is not a definitive test.
One of the most distinctive features of jet is its warmth to the touch. Jet feels surprisingly warm and lightweight, similar to plastic, whereas glass or gemstones feel colder and heavier. This is because jet has a low thermal conductivity, meaning it takes longer for heat to be conducted away from its surface.
Finally, the ""hot pin test" can be used as a last resort to identify jet. This test involves heating a needle and gently piercing an inconspicuous area of the jewellery. Jet should emit a coal-like odour, while plastic imitations will release an acrid smell. However, this test is destructive and can decrease the value of the jewellery, so it should be conducted with caution.
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Jet is harder than plastic and can scratch glass
Jet is a fossilized driftwood similar to coal that is primarily found in Yorkshire, England, Spain, France's Aude region, Germany, and other parts of northern Europe, Asia, and North America. It is hard, black or dark brown in colour, and has been used to craft jewellery since ancient times.
To identify jet jewellery, one can perform a variety of tests. Jet feels surprisingly warm and lightweight, similar to black plastic, and can be polished to a glossy shine, although it generally does not have the same mirror-like finish as highly polished glass. When rubbed between the fingers, jet can also feel almost oily. Additionally, some jet creates static electricity when rubbed against wool, which can be tested by placing the jet near a strand of hair or a piece of paper – if it is jet, it should pull the hair or paper towards it.
Another test is to gently tap the item on your teeth; if it feels like glass, then it is glass and not jet. It is important to note that plastic and glass, which were once liquids, may contain bubbles, while jet should not. Examining the item with a magnifying glass or a 10x loupe can reveal these bubbles. Authentic jet is opaque black in appearance and lacks the mould lines that are present in plastic replications set in a mould. As jet is traditionally hand-carved, no two pieces will be identical.
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Jet is a fossilised wood, whereas plastic is not
Plastic, on the other hand, is a synthetic polymer created by humans. It is made from long chains of atoms, often using the carbon atoms provided by petroleum and other fossil fuels. Synthetic polymers are strong, lightweight, and flexible, making them exceptionally useful in a variety of applications. Plastic has played a critical role in modern life, enabling the development of computers, cell phones, and lifesaving medical advances.
One key difference between jet and plastic is their weight and texture. Jet is surprisingly warm and lightweight to touch, similar to black plastic, but it has an oily texture when rubbed between the fingers. Plastic, on the other hand, is often softer and warmer to touch than jet, and it feels light in weight. Plastic may also have seams where it has been joined or moulded, which jet does not have.
Another distinguishing factor is their reaction to heat. The "hot pin test" can be used to differentiate jet from plastic. This involves heating a needle and gently piercing an inconspicuous area of the material. Jet should not take the needle well and will emit a coal-like odour, while plastic may react differently. However, this test should be conducted with caution, as it can decrease the value of jewellery and may even cause a fire if the item is made of celluloid plastic.
In addition, jet and plastic interact differently with other materials. Jet will not scratch glass, but glass will scratch jet. Plastic, on the other hand, may be able to scratch certain materials depending on its hardness.
Finally, jet and plastic have different values in the jewellery market. While antique jet jewellery, especially from the Victorian era, is highly prized and desired, plastic jewellery often falls under 'costume jewellery'. However, vintage plastic Bakelite pieces can sometimes fetch high prices at auctions.
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Frequently asked questions
Jet is a fossilised wood that resembles coal and is often black or dark brown in colour. It is usually hand-carved, so no two pieces are identical. Jet is opaque and lightweight, and it feels warm to the touch. It can be polished to a glossy shine, but it is not as reflective as glass or gemstones. Jet also has an “oily” texture when rubbed between the fingers and produces a coal-like odour when heated with a needle. Plastic, on the other hand, is often softer and warmer to the touch than glass or gemstones. It may have seams where it has been joined or moulded during manufacturing, which jet does not have.
You can try the following tests to identify jet jewellery:
- Weight test: Jet is very lightweight for its size and feels warm to the touch.
- Visual inspection: Look for moulding marks or seams. Jet is carved, not moulded, so it will have evidence of carving.
- Bubble test: Use a 10x loupe to check for bubbles. Jet does not have bubbles as it was never liquid.
- Hot pin test: Heat a needle and gently pierce an inconspicuous area of the jewellery. Jet will emit a coal-like odour, while plastic will release an acrid smell. Please note that this test should be conducted by a professional as it may ruin an authentic jet piece.
Bakelite is a common plastic used to imitate jet and can sometimes fetch high prices at auctions. Vulcanite, a vulcanised rubber, is also a common simulant of jet and is often used to create hinges in lockets.
