About Us
We are a small independent family business that specialises in the creation of handmade Whitby Jet jewellery utilising traditional methods that have been passed down through the generations. All of our Jet jewellery is made in our historic Sandgate workshop in Whitby, North Yorkshire. Our family's involvement in Jet carving dates back to 1872 and our most experienced craftsman has 38 years of experience of identifying and collecting the finest quality Jet and making fine Jet jewellery. We only use the best quality Whitby Jet that we have collected ourselves which means we know the origin and quality of every piece of Jet before it is carved and polished. For behind the scenes videos and photos of our jewellery making visit our Instagram page.
Batch of carved jet heart and freeform pendants, jet drop earrings and charms in progress
The Origin of our Jet
We are one of only a handful of companies that still hand collect the raw Whitby Jet ourselves, cut and polish the Jet and then sell the finished product. When we are not in the workshop making jewellery we are often out along the Jurassic coastline searching the seashore for pieces of raw Jet. We are qualified to degree level in geology and coastal and oceanographic sciences and can guarantee that only the best quality locally sourced Jet is used in our jewellery. The Jet that we use will take a mirror finish and will never crack or break.
A piece of sea washed Whitby Jet from Runswick Bay
A low quality specimen grade piece of Jet from Runswick
An abandoned Jet mine at Kettleness
We are also continuously exploring the vast network of inland Whitby Jet mines that are spread throughout the North Yorkshire moors and Cleveland hills. Large quantities of the best quality Whitby Jet came from inland areas such as Scugdale and Westerdale during the Victorian era. These disused mines are now part of the North Yorkshire Moors National Park so cannot be worked. Many of these mines are now collapsed but a few are still accessible with caution.
Abandoned mine entrance near Guisborough
Pieces of jet found at Carlton bank in the Cleveland hills
An abandoned Whitby Jet mine
Other Materials we use
All of the materials that we use in our jewellery and our packaging are carefully sourced and selected so that we can always assure a high quality, long lasting product. We only use solid, British hallmarked precious metals. We have a large range of Jet jewellery set in silver and gold as well as some freeform pieces such as carved hearts, natural shapes and Jet drops. In addition to Jet pieces we also offer a range of jewellery containing both Jet and other gemstones such as Baltic Amber, Derbyshire Blue John, Swiss Marcasite, Kingman Turquoise and Lapis Lazuli. We have carefully selected these gemstones for their beauty and their affinity with Whitby Jet.
Jet and Amber cabochon pendant
Jet and Marcasite pendant
Jet and Turquoise Celtic bracelet
Our Jewellery
Our range includes both traditional, classic pieces as well as contemporary pieces and unique one off items. We are continually expanding our range so that we can offer an ever-increasing choice of beautiful high quality jewellery. We also take custom orders so that you can design your own piece.
We sell our range exclusively from our website, providing fast worldwide shipping, personalised customer service and a 30 day money back guarantee. Orders can be placed online 24/7 or over the phone during office hours and we are happy to provide information and advice to help you choose the perfect piece of jewellery for your needs.
Carved Jet heart pendant
Jet charm bead
Band ring inlaid with Jet hearts
Our Customers
We are very customer-orientated, so we always take the time to listen to our customers’ feedback and incorporate it into our decision-making. Over the years we have built up a high frequency of repeat custom which we feel is a testament to our emphasis on excellent quality jewellery and customer care. Please take a look at our 'Customer Reviews' page to see some of the lovely comments we have received.
Highly polished Jet freeform pendants
The Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis
In Whitby in 2015 we were lucky enough to experience rare sightings of Aurora Borealis. The two images on our homepage of the Aurora from Whitby's East Pier and from nearby Sandsend beach were captured by local photographer Glenn Kilpatrick. He has many more stunning photographs of the Aurora on his website, www.whitby-photography.com