What an incredible piece! So glamourous and bold, you can have a lot of fun with this necklace. French Jet is essentially black glass, it was popular in the Victorian era as a more affordable version of Whitby jet, both super popular in the 19th century as Queen Victoria went into mourning (and never came out).
This necklace however, seems much more Art Deco in style, than Victorian, when hemlines were going up, but necklaces were worn very long. The array of shapes are wonderful, great big chunky deltahedrons (I think that’s the name?!) octahedrons and interesting lozenge shaped beads, then much smaller ones and teeny ones filling the gaps between the large beads. It really is quite exquisite and I’ve never had anything quite like it.
Though it has a nice bit of age to it, the necklace is very wearable today. The obvious choice would be over a white top for maximum contrast, but I recently saw black jewels worn over black which looked so chic! It can be worn long or looped once, there is no clasp.
Circa 1920
French Jet (black glass used to imitate jet)
44’’ long, the largest bead has a diameter of 22mm
80 grams
Very good antique condition, a few beads have some nibbles, but it is in remarkable nick all things considered
What an incredible piece! So glamourous and bold, you can have a lot of fun with this necklace. French Jet is essentially black glass, it was popular in the Victorian era as a more affordable version of Whitby jet, both super popular in the 19th century as Queen Victoria went into mourning (and never came out).
This necklace however, seems much more Art Deco in style, than Victorian, when hemlines were going up, but necklaces were worn very long. The array of shapes are wonderful, great big chunky deltahedrons (I think that’s the name?!) octahedrons and interesting lozenge shaped beads, then much smaller ones and teeny ones filling the gaps between the large beads. It really is quite exquisite and I’ve never had anything quite like it.
Though it has a nice bit of age to it, the necklace is very wearable today. The obvious choice would be over a white top for maximum contrast, but I recently saw black jewels worn over black which looked so chic! It can be worn long or looped once, there is no clasp.
Circa 1920
French Jet (black glass used to imitate jet)
44’’ long, the largest bead has a diameter of 22mm
80 grams
Very good antique condition, a few beads have some nibbles, but it is in remarkable nick all things considered
