BEFORE WE GET to the necklace recently worn by Joely Richardson that is both edgy and made of historical material, let’s first touch on the event at which she wore it: The Seeker, a multimedia reinvention of the Herman Hesse novel, Siddhartha, in which The Who co-founder Pete Townshend plays the role of the Ferryman. The project was released on November 7th as a double album accompanied by a 128-page illustrated book; it was performed live at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane on November 6th. Joely Richardson attended the post-show reception wearing the necklace, which was designed by London-based design house NVW.
The necklace caught my eye immediately due to the graduated strand of stationed black ravens in different positions. On NVW’s website, it is described as a “statement art piece which comprises seven ravens, hand-carved from Whitby Jet, suspended across four rose gold handmade chains. Resonant of a bazaar of ravens soaring through the sky, their wings are caressed with exquisite black diamonds and their symmetry of forms create a harmonious balance across the wearer’s decolletage.”
The fact that Richardson chose to wear the necklace to the concert is a testament to the creativity of the designer of the collection, Natasha Wightman, who works in ancient English materials such as Whitby jet and moorland boxwood, along with precious metals and gemstones.
Maybe it’s my memory of Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem, The Raven, that conjures up a sense of darkness, even though Wightman is clearly an artist and the necklace is one that is eye-catching on Richardson.
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But as a jewelry historian who owns an antique brooch of Whitby jet, I am also taken by the designer’s use of it and Richardson’s decision to wear this particular piece.
Although Whitby jet is actually 180-million year-old fossilized wood, it is considered a gemstone and was found in mass quantities surrounding the small seaside town of Whitby on the northeast coast of England and reached its height of popularity in the 19th century. Queen Victoria’s affinity for the gem contributed to the huge success of the jet industry. She deemed that it should be worn at court, and then, when Prince Albert died, she chose it as her gemstone to represent her mourning. Although the stone became largely associated with mourning pieces, it was also used for beautifully carved floral and cameo-style brooches, earrings and long strands of faceted beads. Whitby jet is most prized due to its durability, allowing it to be carved into intricate designs and motifs. It also produced the highest shine when crafted into jewelry and has withstood the test of time, whereas jet from other parts of the world can crack much more easily.
If you are interested in other modern designers using Whitby jet, there is also London-based Jacqueline Cullen. And if you are still intrigued by the historical pieces, a period film in which a Whitby jet brooch ties together generations of characters, entitled Possession (2002) and starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart, Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle, is a must-see.
