Perfect Necklaces for the Season

I've always been fascinated with the Victorians' obsession with death, and all things melancholy and macabre. I guess that's why I can appreciate autumn as well as Halloween so much. Click on the pictures to go to the listing.

I've also always loved how they emanated this fascination and way of thinking through their fashion. One way that they did this is with a material called jet or lignite. Jet isn't an actual mineral but rather a mineraloid as it is actually made from decomposing wood from millions of years ago that has been put under high pressure and salt water. There is also a soft form of jet which is made with fresh water instead.

Faux jet often came in the form of black glass, hard coal, or vulcanite which is hardened rubber. The way you can tell if it is actually glass is that it will be cool to the touch and jet is not. It's harder to tell if jet is being duped by the other two mediums as those are not cool to the touch either.

Jet was made popular by Queen Victoria during her long period of mourning but its popularity continued on into the 20's with flappers wearing long strands of jet beads. Here's are some lovely pieces from Etsy that I have gathered. Some of these are actually black glass but give the same look as jet.