Healing Crystals Co.

Jet: Complete Guide (2024)

jet stone

In this post, we reveal everything you need to know about jet stone, including its meaning, properties, types, and uses. Let's get started!

Introduction

This isn’t the flying kind of jet, it’s the gemstone kind! But regardless, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed by our complete guide to this dark, powerful stone. In this guide we’ll be covering the history of jet, its benefits and spiritual meaning, healing properties, types, combinations, jewellery, uses and value.

If any of this information inspires you to purchase your very own piece of jet, keep reading to the end where we discuss where to buy this beautiful stone!

  • Jet Stone Meaning
    • What is Jet Stone
      • Jet Stone Spiritual Meaning
      • Is Jet Stone Rare
    • Jet Stone Benefits
    • Jet Healing
    • Where is Jet Found
  • Jet Properties
    • Jet Metaphysical Properties
    • Jet Healing Properties
  • Jet vs Onyx
  • Jet vs Obsidian
  • Jet vs Black Tourmaline
  • Jet Types
    • Raw Jet
    • Tumbled Jet
    • Natural Jet Stone
  • Jet Jewelry
    • Jet Bracelet
    • Jet Necklace
      • Victorian Jet Necklace
      • Antique Jet Necklace
      • Amber and Jet Necklace
      • French Jet Necklace
    • Jet Pendant
    • Jet Ring
    • Jet Crystal Bracelet
      • Jet Bracelet Meaning
    • Jet Earrings
    • Jet Locket
  • Jet Uses
    • Jet Stone Beads
      • Jet Beads Meaning
      • What are Jet Beads Made of
      • Antique Jet Beads
      • Natural Jet Beads
      • Carved Jet Beads
    • Jet Bowl
  • How to Polish Jet
  • How Can You Clean Jet Beads
  • How to Cleanse Jet Stone
  • Jet Stone for Sale
    • Jet Stone Value
    • Raw Jet Stone for Sale
    • Jet Jewellery for Sale
    • Jet Beads for Sale
    • Jet Necklace Value
    • Rough Jet Stone for Sale

Jet Stone Meaning

What is Jet Stone

Jet is a very interesting stone because it’s considered to be coal (also known as “lignite”), yet it is also considered to be a gemstone. You wouldn’t normally pair coal and gemstones together, would you? But, this is the exception! Similarly to coal, jet is black.

That’s where the collective noun “jet black” comes from. Jet isn’t considered a mineral but it is considered a “mineraloid”. The difference is that a mineraloid is a naturally occurring substance that’s mineral-like but doesn’t show crystallinity, which is the structural composition that classifies it as a crystal. Therefore, it cannot be classified as a crystal, and it is strictly a gemstone.

Jet Stone Spiritual Meaning

Jet has been used for centuries by civilizations as a purifying stone. It is believed to work by drawing out unwanted, negative energies while simultaneously injecting positive energies.

That’s why it’s known as the mourning stone. It is a spiritual guide for people going through intense periods of grief. It was used by the Romans to dispel evil spirits coming from “the evil eye.” It’s also known as the stone of luck. People have carried it on them for centuries in an attempt to harness its lucky powers.

It’s believed to be a very grounding stone that keeps its holder connected to their true purpose and meaning on earth. The reason for this is due to Mother Earth’s energy being present in the stone.

Due to Jet’s intensely purifying properties, it can be used as a purifier of other stones. If you have a bunch of precious stones that need purifying, jet is known to cleanse them if all placed in a bowl together.

Is Jet Stone Rare

A form of jet that comes from Whitby in England called “Whitby jet” is extremely rare. It’s priced at about $2 per gram and is ranked number seven on the top seven rarest stones in the world list. It’s a finite resource and is only mined in one specific strip of coastline in North Yorkshire.

In the past, dangerous mining methods were used to harvest the stone which disrupted sea life and caused damage to marine environments. Therefore, only skilled individuals are now able to mine small amounts of Whitby jet at a time. Other types of jet are found in other parts of England, Spain, France Germany Asia, Northern Europe and North America.

Jet Stone Benefits

The greatest benefit of jet would definitely be its purifying qualities. The act of drawing out negative energy is what jet is best known for. This has a knock-on effect and many more secondary benefits are reaped as a result. 

Anxiety is a state of being characterized by a constant thread of negative thought patterns which result in a constant feeling of negativity. When that negativity is purified, then the anxiety disappears. 

Placing jet in your place of work is also known to attract prosperity and wealth. Sleeping with it under your pillow is known to provide a peaceful sleep and increasing your psychic powers is thought to be achieved by making an elixir out of jet shavings.

a woman lying on a bed

Jet Healing

Jet is known to have a variety of different healing powers. These include emotional healing powers, physical healing powers, wealth and prosperity as well as love and relationships. 

Jet has a very calming effect and is good for soothing people who suffer from anxiety. It also encourages a person to deal with repressed emotions by bringing repressed traumas to your attention so you may work through them.

Because jet is such a grounding stone it’s great for the root chakra, which is the chakra of grounding. If you’re someone who struggles to stay present in the real world (for a variety of reasons (mostly escapism) then this stone is the one for you!

Tying in with the calming nature of this stone, jet is also known to alleviate the physical symptoms associated with anxiety such as inflammation and migraine headaches.

As we mentioned above, jet is very grounding. And that’s why it’s a stone that promotes wealth and prosperity. Being grounded allows you to see through people and sense their intentions.

It allows you to sense someone’s character and choose not to go into business with them due to your intuition warning you not to. That’s not to say it makes you a skeptic! It just allows you to see a bad apple when it’s in front of you instead of you projecting onto that person what you want them to be.

Where is Jet Found

Jet is found in the United States, England, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Canada, France, Cambodia and Australia. The finest and most rare specimens of jet are found in Whitby on England’s northeast coast. The way this lignite is formed dates back as far as 10 000 BC and there are even records of its use during the Roman Empire.

It’s formed through decaying wood which is under extreme pressure. But this isn’t just any wood. The wood comes from specific trees called Araucariaceae trees which come from an ancient group of trees that date back to the Jurassic period. 

Jet Properties

In this section, we’ll be covering what exactly jet can do for you. We’ll look at its metaphysical properties and go over what those have to do with chakras and what stones jet is best combined with.

We’ll then move on to its healing properties. We’ll cover how it can help you tap into your productivity as well as how it can cleanse your space and your aura.

Jet Metaphysical Properties

Jet can be used to balance and clear all chakras (if used correctly) but it specializes in balancing and clearing the base and root chakra. If you do not see an energy healer to do this work for you, you can try your hand at it at home! Sit on a straight-back chair with one piece of jet in between your feet and another piece of jet in your lap.

Close your eyes and take slow, deep breaths. Then, imagine a thread forming between the two stones. Then, draw up the energy from the stones into your base and root chakras. This exercise should make your lower body feel heavier and grounded.

Jet can be paired with a variety of different stones for different purposes. One of the main combinations would be pairing it with other black or dark-colored stones which further enhance its grounding effect.

Jet Healing Properties

The main and most common barrier to productivity is distraction; both external and internal ones. Distraction leads to procrastination! Internal procrastination stems from constant daydreaming. 

If you’re constantly checking out of the real world that means your root chakra is imbalanced. You’re not grounded. Jet’s grounding effect is believed to improve your compulsion to check out and encourages you to rather focus on the real-life task at hand.

As we mentioned earlier, jet is a purifier and so it cleanses your space and aura of negative energies. But it doesn’t stop there! After this, it creates a seal that encapsulates you in a protective barrier. The stone doesn’t stop after the purification process, it then converts additional energy in your auric field into beneficial, positive energy!

a woman using her phone

Jet vs Onyx

Jet and black onyx can be easily confused! In fact, jet, onyx, obsidian and tourmaline are all so physically and energetically similar that it can be almost impossible to tell them apart sometimes! But there are slight differences that you’re about to observe. All three of these black stones can be separated into two groups. The minerals and the non-minerals. 

Onyx is a true mineral and has a crystalline structure at an atomic level. It’s very heavy compared to a jet stone. Jet in the rough looks and feels like coal, which it is! But can be polished down to look like a gemstone. Onyx in its raw form can have some white or grey spots and doesn’t polish up to be as glossy as jet.

Jet vs Obsidian

Black obsidian is similar to jet in that it’s also a non-mineral. It’s a volcanic glass and is literally formed during a volcanic eruption when molten lava shoots out of the opening of the volcano.

It flies out of the volcano’s mouth and cools into glass when it touches land or cold water. It’s also strictly speaking a glass, not a crystal. So in its purest form obsidian will be very glossy and shiny like glass. 

Jet vs Black Tourmaline

It’s very easy to tell raw jet and raw black tourmaline apart. As mentioned above, raw jet literally looks like charcoal and raw tourmaline has many white markings on it. The white markings look very similar to there being multiple scratch marks across the stone.

However, when both stones are polished and tumbled it can be tricky to tell them apart. A small detail to note is that black tourmaline tends to not polish up perfectly while jet does. You may be able to see some rust from iron as well as some divots in the stone.

Jet Types

Jet (like any gemstone) comes in a variety of different forms. You get raw jet, tumbled jet and natural jet stones. In this section, we’ll be diving into each type and giving you all the info you need to know about each of them!

Raw Jet

Raw jet is literally the rawest form of this mineraloid. As jet is a type of charcoal (called lignite) that is what it looks like in its most raw form. It’s rated a 2.5 on Mohs hardness scale which is quite a low rating as the highest rating is a ten.

This means that raw jet is an excellent substance for carving as it’s a very soft material. Raw jet is extremely soft compared to other gemstones. For example, amethyst ranks a seven on the scale, which is very hard in comparison.

Tumbled Jet

Tumbled jet is raw jet that’s been cut up, polished and faceted into smooth pieces–mostly round stones. In this form, you’ll see that jet resembles a gemstone much more than it does when it’s raw. It’s shiny and smooth and much more appealing to the consumer!

Tumbled jet is used by energetic healers for their healing and metaphysical properties. More often than not, this will be the purpose for all the tumbled jet stones you’ll come across.

tumbled jet stone

 

Natural Jet Stone

The natural jet stone declined as a fashion/jewellery item very quickly during the Great Depression of 1929. The demand for goods declined as people did not have the money to buy them. At that point jet was solely used as an item in jewellery and items like that would not have been essential items.

Food and money for housing were prioritized over luxury items. Interestingly enough, after the depression, the stone never regained the popularity it had during the Victorian era, which is still true to this day.

Jet Jewellery

Jet has been worn by humans for literally centuries! It was worn as an amulet for protection and to ward off evil spirits. It was even worn by Queen Victoria as a brooch when her husband died. In this section, we’re going to cover jet bracelets, necklaces, pendants, rings, earrings and lockets.

Interestingly, jet is a very soft substance ranking a mere 2,5 on the Mohs hardness scale. So, when made into jewellery it has to acquire a protective coating around it to prevent it from shattering and getting scratched.

Jet Bracelet

Jet bracelets come in tons of different styles! There is so much to discover when it comes to jet bracelets. There are two groups we have to work with here: The bracelets that are comprised solely of jet and the bracelets that combine jet with other materials.

An example of a “jet only” bracelet would be the classic beaded bracelet, and an example of a combination jet bracelet would be a silver cuff with a jet stone in the center of it. Later on, we’ll be delving into the jet crystal bracelet and its meaning!

Jet Necklace

As jet has been around and worn by humans for so long, there are beautiful vintage jet necklaces available to buy. As with the bracelets, there are also two groups of jet necklaces: the modern ones and the vintage ones.

Most of the designs you’ll find are quite chunky and striking as the nature of the stone lends itself to poignant and memorable jewellery styles. 

Victorian Jet Necklace

Jet was a popular stone to wear amongst royalty and nobility in the Victorian era. As so, the Victorian jet necklace was born! Genuine vintage Victorian jet necklaces are out there for sale but so are more modern copies of the design. It’s a super classic style and all the variations allude to the original design. The original design was a choker with multiple teardrops cascading down the neck and chest.

Antique Jet Necklace

As mentioned above, there are tons of antique necklaces available. A genuine Victorian Jet necklace would definitely classify as an antique. A lot of antique jet necklaces are identifiable by their very intricate carvings.

These markings are similar to the design of the brooch that Queen Victoria wore. If you can’t find a genuine antique, there are many beautiful replicas and more modern designs available online!

antique jade jewelry

Amber and Jet Necklace

Amber and jet is a classic combination and is a widely known and produced pairing of stones. The orange hue of the amber and the striking black of the jet complement each other beautifully. The pairing is also a spiritual one stemming from ancient times.

Both stones are fossilized remains of ancient trees. Amber symbolizes the light and jet the dark. So, they are Yin and Yang which is one of the most ancient pairings since the beginning of time.

French Jet Necklace

The French jet necklace is also a style and design stemming from the 1800s. This style differs from the Victorian one in that it’s more dainty and delicate. The design is categorized by small beads, long hanging styles, and thin, pointed diamond-shaped beads.

You can find many modern remakes of this style of necklace online. But please be sure to check that these antique replicas are made of 100% genuine jet stone!

Jet Pendant

There’s only one difference between a jet necklace and a jet pendant and that’s this: a jet necklace possesses multiple stones or beads and a jet pendant possesses one primary stone that hangs from its chain.

Something similar to this would be the ancient jet amulets that the Romans used to wear for protection. There are even modern amulets that you can shop for online to find 100% genuine jet pendants!

Jet Ring

Black is a neutral color. You can’t go wrong with black. Everybody loves black! So it’s no surprise that black jet rings are popular and sought after. The neutrality of black also goes with everything so pairing jet with gold or silver in a ring always works.

Polished and faceted jet is extremely rich in color and most of the time pretty consistent across the board in how purely black it is. So, if you’re looking for a jet black stone (literally!) then a jet ring is definitely for you!

Jet Crystal Bracelet

Jet crystal bracelets usually come in one of two forms. Either they’re the classic style of multiple small rounded beads that encircle the entirety of the bracelet or they’re part of a bracelet that’s combined with other materials like copper, gold or silver.

Wearing jet in any capacity as jewellery is beneficial for reasons of purification and that’s why a lot of people wear the stone, especially as a bracelet. 

Jet Bracelet Meaning

As jet is a stone of protection, the spiritual meaning behind wearing jet as a bracelet (or any form of jewellery for that matter) is one of protection. Thousands and even hundreds of years ago humans lived in constant fear of evil spirits.

They were such a part of their everyday lives that many illnesses and ailments that are known to be scientifically explained today were believed to have been caused by evil spirits. And since penicillin didn’t exist yet, wearing stones was considered one of the only lines of defence.

Jet Earrings

There is an assortment of modern and antique jet earrings on the market. The antique pieces available are largely due to the length of time that jet has been worn throughout the ages.

Many of the ancient pieces have been lost due to the test of time so most of the antique earrings available at the moment are Victorian pieces. If you have a look online you will find an assortment of jet earrings in different styles: studs, hanging earrings, tear drops, you name it! 

Jet Locket

Jet lockets are beautiful, classic, stunning pieces and originate from the Victorian era. The natural softness of the stone makes jet a great substance for carving intricate designs on. This intricate carving design is the signature look of jet lockets. There are replicas of this design as well as more modern designs.

jet crystal locket

Jet Uses

In this section, we’re going to cover the additional uses of jet. Besides being used as a healing stone as well as in jewellery, jet is used to make a variety of beads including antique beads, natural beads and carved beads. There are also bowls that are made out of jet that exist! Read on to find out all you need to know.

Jet Stone Beads

Jet stone beads are used solely for the purpose of jewellery making. As jet is naturally brittle and only rates a 2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, it’s recommended that when designing your piece of jet jewellery you choose a piece that will have minimal accidental regular impact.

For example, a bracelet isn’t the best piece to make with jet beads because we use our hands all day, every day and that results in accidental impact. 

Jet Beads Meaning

Jet beads don’t have a specific meaning besides the jet stones meaning in general. These meanings are as follows: a stone of mourning, protection, luck and purification.

What are Jet Beads Made of

As we mentioned earlier in this guide, jet beads and jet, in general, is the lowest rank of coal called lignite. Coal is made from decaying wood that undergoes extreme heat and pressure which then becomes fossilized.

However, as jet is a softer substance, jet beads need a protective coating around them in order to not tarnish and break when worn as jewellery. It’s better to wear jet beads as a necklace rather than a bracelet due to the lesser constant impact.

Antique Jet Beads

There are a lot of antique jet beads available to purchase which are either Victorian or French. If you’re wanting to create your very own piece of antique jet jewellery then head on over to our website where we sell 100% genuine antique jet beads for you to make your very own creation with.

Natural Jet Beads

Natural jet beads can refer to rough, natural jet beads or polished natural jet beads. Rough natural jet beads don’t look like your normal beaded bracelet. The beads aren’t perfectly round, they’re jagged and have a rough, coal-like texture. The polished natural jet beads are perfectly round, smooth and glossy-looking.

Carved Jet Beads

As jet is a very soft substance, it’s the perfect canvas for the carving of intricate designs. We’ve seen this on antique brooches, lockets and now even beads! The carved beads add another dimension to a piece of jewellery making it that much more striking and novel. If you’re a detail person then you’ll love carved jet beads!

Jet Bowl

Jet bowls are mainly used in energy healing practices like Reiki. But they can also be used as decorative objects in a home or a shrine space. As they’re bowls, they can hold other crystals within them which makes sense for energy healing practices. This is a great way to combine crystals and their healing powers.

How to Polish Jet

High-end jewellery brands that sell jet jewellery provide customers with polishing cloths for their purchases. There is also the option of using some mineral oil to get your stone’s shine back!

How Can You Clean Jet Beads

When cleaning your jet stone beads make sure not to use an ultrasonic machine. Don’t steam the beads either and don’t use any chemical substances to try and clean them.

They can be washed in warm, soapy water and a soft brush can be used to get rid of any tough dirt marks. A little bit of mineral oil can also be used to restore the sheen of the beads.

How to Cleanse Jet Stone

A raw jet stone shouldn’t be cleaned as we’ve mentioned above. Cleansing a raw jet stone or recharging its energy includes burying it in the earth overnight. You can also cover the stone with sea salt for twelve hours and then lightly brush it off with a soft brush.

Jet Stone for Sale

If you’ve decided that jet is the stone for you, we have tons of jet products available on our website! Including raw jet, tumbled jet, an array of jet jewellery, beads and bowls. Have a browse!

Jet Stone Value

The value of jet stones varies according to the type of jet we’re talking about. Whitby jet, which is a very rare and high-quality jet, is expensive while other kinds of jet are less expensive.

For example, a pair of Whitby jet studs could cost about $58 and more, while more complicated pieces can be around $580. The metal the stone is framed by and the additional stones incorporated in the jewellery piece also influences the value and price of the stone.

Raw Jet Stone for Sale

A piece of genuine Whitby jet from the UK that is 22 x 13 x 12mm costs about $15. If you’re looking to purchase raw jet you’ll be able to find some at crystal wholesaler stores or online. 

Jet Jewellery for Sale

Crystal retail and ecommerce stores are the best places to search for jet jewelry for sale. 

Jet Beads for Sale

Crafting your own jewellery pieces out of jet beads is a fun, low-cost way to add to your jewellery collection! One strand or set of 12mm round, loose beads is priced at $7. 

Jet Necklace Value

The value of jet necklaces varies greatly depending on how old the necklace

is, what kind of jet is used, how much jet is and what other metals are included in the necklace. For example, a vintage Victorian-era jet necklace costs $185 and a modern beaded jet necklace costs $45.

Rough Jet Stone for Sale

Again, check online for rough jet stones for sale. If you’re looking for some stones to include in your energy healing practices or if you’re a Capricorn and you want to get closer and more intimate with your birthstone, a jet stone is a great addition to your crystal collection!

Conclusion

In summary, jet is an ancient, powerful stone that’s been used in energy healing practices, for protection, as décor, and as jewellery for centuries. The fact that it’s a mineraloid and a gemstone at the same time makes it very unique.

Its soft exterior makes it perfect for carving designs which gave rise to the classic Victorian brooches and lockets that still survive today! 

Did You Enjoy This Article?

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, you might also like the following articles: Natrolite: Complete Guide and Libyan Gold: Complete Guide.

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