Lapidary question and "looking for"

Hi Friends! I’ve been working to design something with a client who
requested a piece utilizing Jet and Amber. In trying to source the
materials, I uncovered some rough Jet from West Virginia. Does anyone
know if this material is of the quality one would find from the
traditional Spanish locale? Is Jet always consistent in quality,
regardless of the origin, or does it vary in characteristics like
other materials do?

Part two of the question: Does anyone have a good source for Jet
and/or Amber? It is important the materials be genuine… no
substitutes or simulants. We would like the amber to be relatively
inclusion-free… no bugs. Also, no copal, please!

Thanks in advance!
Dave
Dave Sebaste
Sebaste Studio and
Carolina Artisans’ Gallery
Charlotte, NC (USA)
dave@sebaste.com
http://www.CarolinaArtisans.com

Jet is basically lignite an intermediate step between wood and coal.
The classic source is Witby, England. Don’t know any sources.

Richard

Try Thunderbird Jewelry Supply out of Gallup, NM for rough jet. Yes,
there are different qualities, but they seem to stock pretty good
material overall. Jet is still a very soft stone, from my
understanding being a type of very dense coal, essentially. You can
easily carve jet with files. Can’t help you on the amber.

K.P.

Greetings: I have some Witby Jet and even some very rough chunks of
amber/copal. You did not mention sizes, i.e. thickness, and w & l in
either. The amber I believe is true amber, though for the world of me
I cannot tell the difference between amber and copal. Consider this
reply as a sort last resort - I am just a low level lapidary retiree,
not a professional of anything (now). BTW, the only gem quality jet I
ever heard of was from Witby, England - never heard of Spanish source.
Regards, Joe Bokor @Joe_Bokor3