Prepared by ChatGPT 5.2 for Angela Gentile of GA Vintage • December 31, 2025

Why this matters

If you sell or collect Sherman jewelry, the word “jet” can get confusing—because it can mean different things depending on era and material:

• Real jet (a natural, fossil-based gemstone)

• French jet (Victorian black glass made to imitate real jet, especially in mourning jewelry)

• Sherman “jet” (jet-black Swarovski crystal—“jet” as a color name)

This article unpacks all three so your descriptions stay accurate and buyer-trustworthy.

1) What Sherman jewelry is

G. Sherman (founded in 1949 in Canada by Gus Sherman) is well known for high-quality mid-century costume jewelry. Sherman pieces are especially prized for crisp stone setting, strong plating, and premium crystal.

2) What “Jet” means in Sherman jewelry

In Sherman collecting and selling, “jet” typically refers to a color: jet-black crystal beads, not Victorian “French jet” glass. Swarovski uses “Jet (280)” as a standard black color designation, along with related finishes/effects such as Jet Hematite.

Practical, seller-friendly wording for a black Sherman piece:

• “Sherman brooch with jet-black Swarovski crystals (Jet/280)” (if you’re comfortable stating Swarovski)

• Or more conservative: “jet-black crystal beads” (include faceted if there are small cuts which make the beads catch the light and sparkle)

Avoid using “French jet” for a Sherman piece unless the item truly uses black glass components in the Victorian sense (see below).

3) The history of the term “French jet”

French jet is a Victorian-era trade term for black glass jewelry components made to imitate genuine jet. It became widely used during the 19th century (especially in mourning jewelry and dress trims) when demand for authentic Whitby jet (a unique, deep black, lightweight, semi-precious gemstone formed from fossilized wood found in Whitby, England – often called “black amber”) and substitutes were popular.

4) Real jet vs. French jet (key differences)

Real jet and French jet can look similar in photos, but they behave differently:

• Material: Real jet is an organic gemstone (fossilized wood/lignite – coal). French jet is black glass.

• Weight: Real jet is noticeably lightweight. French jet (glass) is heavier.

• Feel to the touch: Real jet often feels warmer; glass usually feels cooler.

• Wear patterns: Glass may chip at facet edges; jet tends to abrade/scratch rather than chip like glass.

• Inspection clues: Glass may show mold seams or bubbles; genuine jet should not show glass-molding seam lines.

5) The big takeaway for Sherman sellers

If your piece is signed Sherman and the stones are black crystal beads, the most accurate explanation is usually:

• “Jet” = jet-black crystal color (often Swarovski Jet 280), not Victorian French jet glass.

You’ll sometimes see “Sherman French jet” in modern online listings, but that is typically seller phrasing. For clarity and accuracy, describe Sherman black-stone pieces as jet-black crystal beaded jewelry, and reserve “French jet” for Victorian black glass imitation-jet items.

Sources / Further reading

• Waddington’s – “Jewels of Elegance: Sherman Jewellery”

• Costume Jewelry Collectors – “Sherman: Enduring Elegance”

• Swarovski (PDF) – Color chart showing Jet (280)

• Whitby Museum – “Jet and Jet Jewellery” (ID notes incl. warm/light vs glass)

• Whitby Jet Store – “How to Tell the Difference Between French Jet and Whitby Jet”

• Antique Jewellers – “Whitby Jet and Its Substitutes in Victorian Mourning Jewellery”