GEM NOIR : Consider yourself a bit of a dark angel with an eye for fashion? These solid hoop earrings from Jacqueline Cullen's Gem Noir collection are crafted out of Whitby jet, a rare type of prehistoric black fossilized wood that is found only in the coastal area of Whitby, England, in a mine along the cliffs and the shoreline. Black Swarovski crystals dot the edge, turning up the style factor. The 40-millimeter Whitby Jet earrings close with an 18-karat gold snap bar closure.
Since discovering rare and valuable Whitby jet during her final year of studies at Central Saint Martins, Jacqueline
has been working with it exclusively. She enlists a Whitby jet supplier to collect her materials who abseils down the cliffs on a rope and
collects raw samples from the disused mines and ancient caves. The incredible metamorphosis of Whitby Jet inspires Jacqueline to represent the unpredictable and dramatic acts of nature and the result is sensitive handmade jewelry with a provenance that expresses individuality.
