This vintage black glass bead necklace measures 27 inches when doubled, or about 54 inches in total length. The faceted oval beads catch the light in the same way early 20th-century jet jewelry did, though these later examples were usually made in Czechoslovakia using high-lead-content glass.
Black glass beads like these were worn from the Victorian era onward — first for mourning attire, later as a timeless neutral accessory through the 1940s and beyond. The spring ring clasp and glass weight help date this one to the mid-20th century.
It’s a versatile, classic strand that sits comfortably doubled or long and layered.
Learning Note: By the mid-20th century, Czechoslovakia became the world’s leading producer of faceted glass beads. Their precision-cut black glass was marketed as “French jet” or “Czech jet,” mimicking earlier mourning jewelry styles. These pieces are easy to mistake for plastic, but their cool weight and sharp sparkle confirm genuine glass construction.
