The Jurassic Jewellery Blog

Jewellery has been a source of inspiration for many thousands of years.

This was brought home recently when I received a commission from a renowned actor in the USA.
Russian born actor Mikhail Tank contacted me and asked if I could create a ring for him to wear in an upcoming Theatre tour.

He wanted a ring set with a piece of iron meteorite - and having seen one on the Jurassic jewellery meteorite rings page I worked with him to create something unique.

When he gave me the go ahead I made the ring and sent it to him in California.

Mikhail told me he was delighted with the ring and would wear it while performing in his new theatre show.

Mikhail has performed in many films, theatre shows and musical performances and has even acted as co-star with Isabella Rossellini

It is fantastic that Jurassic Jewellery can help him in his career and I wish him well!

Read more about Mikhail Tank on his official website

Ian Barrett
Jurassic Jewellery

One of the most exciting things about running your own business is that you NEVER know exactly what you will be doing each day.

A few weeks ago my morning started very normally - until I had a phone call that changed everything.

The caller was an Art Director from a TV production company.
She explained that she URGENTLY needed a box of fossils.
This is nothing unusual in itself as I sell hundreds of fossils a week - and ship them all around the world.

It turned out that these ones were needed to be used as props in a Channel 4 Comedy series.

The series in question is called ‘FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER’ and it stars Simon Bird - geeky legend from The Inbetweeners.

Also starring the fantastic Tamsin Greig  - star of Black Books and ‘The Green Wing’

They needed a box of fossils for a scene where a character is looking through them- searching for a Trilobite.

I am still trying to find out exactly which episode they will be seen in - and will post the details here when I know.

I think it is really exciting to know that my fossils will be seen on television by millions of people!
Silly and unimportant YES, but fun all the same!

———————

Weirdly, in the same week I was approached by a theatre director who also wanted to buy a selection of fossils to use in a new production.
The show is based on the life and career of Mary Anning - the legendary Victorian Fossil collector.
I am sure many of you fossil fiends will know of her work.
She found some of the first EVER dinosaur fossils - including the first Icthyosaur skeletons.

Mary had a fascinating life, and I am sure it will make for a superb production.

The writer and producer - Peter John Cooper explained to me how he wanted a selection of fossils to use in schools workshops alongside the production.
He knows as well as I that there is nothing better to introduce children to the magical world of fossils than to hold  one in their hand.

I am sure the fossils I sent him will be seen all over the South of England when the production tours.

You can read more about the show - The Cabinet Makers Daughter  HERE

Ian Barrett
Jurassic Jewellery


As well as a huge range of fossil and meteorite jewellery - I also sell a wide range of fossil and meteorite specimens.
You can view and buy from them HERE
Or from the Jurassic Jewellery Ebay Store

A STUNNING 147 gram Tissint Specimen

We have all seen films that toy with the possibility of Earth being hit by a giant asteroid.

What is not commonly known is that in July 2011 there was a REAL bombardment from Mars!cre

The meteorite fell in Morocco and wasn’t discovered until December 2011 but has amazed meteorite collectors across the World.

The fall,known first as Tata - but has now been renamed TISSINT after the area in Morocco has generated such excitement for two reasons.

One reason  is the SIZE of the fall.
While the exact weight will never be known as the meteorite broke up on entry - and much of it was also smashed into chunks when it landed in the desert.
It is now thought that at least 7 Kilograms of Martian rock fell in the desert.
This is huge in comparison with most Martian meteorites.
It has led to a windfall for some meteorite dealers as samples have been selling for at least $600 per gram.

Another reason the Tissint Meteorite has been so sought after is the incredible freshness of the material.
Many meteorites lay on Earth for hundreds and even thousands of years before they are found.
This means that the chemical composition is changed dramatically and makes it less useful to scientists.
While plenty of probes have visited Mars - unlike with Moon rocks - none have ever returned from Mars.

This means that these are some of the only pristine samples of Martian rock available for study.

The meteorite has the most amazing appearance.
The outer surface has a dark grey shiny surface called fusion crust.
This is the result of the rock being heated and partially melted as it shoots through the Earths atmosphere.

The specimens here are owned by Chladni’s Heirs - Probably the finest purveyors of planetary meteorites on Earth.
( They also provide some of the specimens I sell and also use in jewellery and I THOROUGHLY recommend them. They are lovely chaps too)

UPDATE - 8th February

A MASSIVE 1 Kilo chunk  of the Tissint Mars Meteorite has been donated to the Natural History Museum in London to help with their research.
read more HERE

UPDATE - 5 March 2012
There is a super blog on the Open University Site

Read it HERE

Ian Barrett
Jurassic Jewellery

I would like to wish all my customers and visitors a happy new year.
2011 has been a fantastic year for Jurassic Jewellery
I have made many new customers, sold at some super jewellery shows in and around Manchester - and best of all, enjoyed EVERY minute of it.

One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is getting the chance to make jewellery commissions.
These appear out of the blue, and I get a huge range of challenges.
Many of the new skills I learn as a jeweller start from a commission.
Having never actually trained as a silversmith I have learnt as I went along.
This means that if I get a commission for a piece of jewellery I have never made before I try to learn the skills I need for that very piece.

This means that I can make a wider range of jewellery in the future.
Better for you, and better for me!

I have lots of plans for new pieces of fossil and meteorite jewellery in 2012.

I was restricted rather in 2011 as I have had to look after my lovely daughter Ruby as well as running the business.
This is still the situation at the moment, but I should soon have more time to devote to making jewellery.
I have a long list of new pieces I want to make, so hopefully I will soon have the chance to make some of them real….

I can give you a sneaky peek at some recent commissions. I hope you like them.

Silver Bat Earrings
I made these in the run-up to Christmas. It was a very hectic time, but I still managed to create what I think are a super little pair of earrings.
They were commissioned for someone who had a thrilling encounter with a bat on a holiday - and this meant that bats were symbolically very important to them.
They are solid silver and set with black glass enamel in the wings to highlight the intricate boney structure of the wings.

Silver Bee Brooch

This was another Christmas commission. I think it came together really well. The commission was just for a bee brooch. I worked with the commissioning customer to come up with the details. I suggested the cabochon of Tigers Eye crystal as the colours are similar to a bee - plus it has a natural stripey nature that is also reminiscent of a bee’s stripes.

I added stripes of glass enamel and some black enamel to the wings to highlight the details.

If you are interested in commissioning a piece for yourself - please do get in touch.
There is no commitment, and I always work really hard on commissions to get exactly what the customer wants.
Please check the commissioned jewellery page to see more of my work.

I am really looking forward to a busy 2012 and all the surprises it will bring.

Warm regards

Ian Barrett
Jurassic Jewellery

I thought it would be fun to write about the reasons why you should buy from Jurassic Jewellery.
There are PLENTY more reasons of course, but these are some of the best reasons.

A TRULY Unique Range Of Jewellery
If you enjoy buying your loved ones a unique gift every year -however you came across the Jurassic Jewellery website, you are in for a treat!

One thing my customers always comment on is how excited they become when they see the jewellery I have created. At jewellery shows particularly it is lovely to talk to potential customers and see the pleasure it gives them when they look at pieces like the Silver Spaceman Necklace - with a piece of real meteorite in his chest.

This really is a favourite piece, and I have been making it for many years now.
I always include it in my adverts and leaflets - and it has even now been turned into a ring!

The Amazing Raw Materials I Use.
Most jewellery makers use precious metals and crystals. They are fantastic, and I use them myself.
The magic of Jurasssic Jewellery is that I make use of some incredible materials. In my jewellery I have used……

Pieces of Martian Rock - landed on Earth after travelling many millions of miles through space
Fossil Sharks Teeth.. that were munching on fish many millions of years ago
Stunning Ammonites that swam in the seas MILLIONS of years ago.
Fordite - an amazing material created in Paint shops in Ford car factories.
Fulgurites - A tubular object created when lightning hits the sand in the desert.
Stone Meteorites  that have been flying around in the Asteroid belt for             BILLIONS of years….

I spend every working day surrounded by these amazing objects, and love the fact that I can create something beautiful. I sell this jewellery and it gives years of pleasure to them and many more who see it.

Being a fan of fossils and meteorites is has long been a dream of mine to visit the Tucson Gem And Mineral Show.
I have read so much about it over many years but living in the UK and not the USA it is not a show that is easy to visit.

The meteorites are something I would particularly love to see. In England there are no meteorite shows at all, and very few dealers. If a UK based meteorite collector wants to see  meteorites in any number we need to visit a museum or astronomy department.
The nearest show in Europe featuring meteorites in any number is the Ensisheim Meteorite Show in the town of Ensisheim, France.

The town of Ensisheim is where the legendary Ensisheim meteorite fell in 1492
The oldest dated fall of any meteorite the 127 KG stone meteorite fell in a field near the village.

Anyway. Back to the Tucson Show……

The show is held every year on the second full weekend in February.
It is become renowned as the finest gem and mineral show in the World.
Being a fan of both fossils AND meteorites I would love to visit the show to see both these treasures in HUGE number.
Many of my suppliers are based in the USA and  many of them email me to let me know they are  packing their wares away in their cars and trucks and are off to sell at the show.

With more than 250 Gem, fossil and meteorite dealers at the show it must be an amazing visual feast to see all these natural wonders.

I would so love to wander around the stalls and see how long I can resist the temptation to get my wallet out!
What could be more fun than to stare at hundreds of the finest Trilobites in the World, or gawp in awe at the displays of meteorites.

I don’t know when it will happen but I can assure you that I WILL visit the show one day.
I don’t know when, but I HAVE to visit the Tucson Gem And Mineral Show….

Ian Barrett
Jurassic Jewellery - A Unique Collection Of Fossil And Meteorite Jewellery

We had a fantastic time last Saturday when the BBC ‘PLANET DINOSAUR Tour kicked off at the Manchester Museum.

Lucky for us Manchester Museum is just up the road from us (and my Son has a swimming lession just next door at the Aquatic Centre) so wecouldn’t pass up the opportunity to check out the fiurst day of the Planet Dinosaur Tour.

We have been following the series every Wednesday and are obviously huge dinosaur fans, so were very excited…..

The exhibition was staged  in the stunning Victorian splendour of the Natural History Gallery.

 Interestingly Manchester Museum was designed by Alfred Waterhouse who also designed the Natural History Museum in London

Dotted around the gallery were a selection of  display boards packed with information on different Dinosaurs and the treacherous lives they led.

We were then guided by the BBC staff who led my Eight Year old Son Max to a training area where he watched a video with tips on assembling a Spinosaurus.
He was then led in a small group of other children to what I could only call a Spinosaurus Assembly area.
Led by an expert from the Dinosaur Tour they had a thrilling time piecing the Spinosaurus Model together, BONE by BONE!
I must point out that it wasn’t a full size model. That would be a little heavy for children to lift!
It was roughly 10 foot long I would say.

The children had a great time picking bones up from a pile and deciding where they should go on the skeleton frame.
As a fossil seller myself, my Son has grown up surrounded by dinosaur bones and teeth so it was fun for him to put a WHOLE dinosaur together!.

Eventually the Spinosaurus was completed and the children stood back and admired their hard work.

We were given various posters and quizzes to take home.
The quiz unlocked a special area on the Planet Dinosaur website so that was particularly intriguing.

When you consider that the whole exhibition was free of charge it was  fantastic chance to connect with these incredible beasts.

Read more about the Planet Dinosaur Exhibition and see if it is visiting near you

Ian Barrett
Jurassic Jewellery -A Unique Collection of Fossil And Meteorite Jewellery

When I read about a report that linked precious metals with meteorites I couldnt help but be intrigued.

As one of very few people on Earth who makes jewellery with precious metals AND meteorites I was amazed to read that Gold may have been delivered to Earth by meteorite impacts.

I have long read about ideas such as Panspermia which propose that the building blocks of life on Earth may have been delivered by meteorites.
There is a lot of evidence to suggest this may have been the case, but this is the first time I have read that maybe other important materials may also have been delivered by meteorites.

Read the full report HERE

You can also see what I create by combining precious metals with meteorites.
I have created the largest range of meteorite jewellery in one place - ANYWHERE in the World.
Check it out here

Ian Barrett
Jurassic Jewellery
Meteorite And Fossil Jewellery

While I spend most of my time in the Jurassic Jewellery workshop making and selling jewellery, I also sell LOTS of fossil and meteorite specimens.
I am forever packing and posting Ammonites, Trilobites, Sharks teeth and meteorites.
A few days ago, just before lunchtime I had a most intriguing phone call ….

A man called Jeremy rang up out of the blue and asked if I would be able to help him replace the teeth in a leather puma.

Yes - you heard right.  a leather puma!

He explained that the Puma had lost all his teeth and he felt it only right that he should replace them.

I have never been one to pass up a challenge, so with the help of some emailed photos and a few measurements - I set to work.

I had a good look through various bags of fossils and took teeth out, measured them. I pondered……

I came up with the best match I could find for the size and shape of the teeth.
I dont HAVE any fossil puma teeth, and I doubt many exist but I found some fossil shark teeth that seemed to fit the bill.

I have sent the teeth off to Jeremy and am awaiting the result of our joint efforts….!

I will show you all the results when I have them!

Ian Barrett

Jurassic Jewellery

If you too are in need of any Puma Teeth - or would just like to buy some gorgeous  shark teeth - check out the fossil shark teeth page in my webshop

Japanese scientists can breathe again with the  return this week of a capsule from a mission to the  the tiny asteroid Itokawa.

measuring just 500m across and peppered with boulders the seven year mission was looking to prove the true makeup of an asteroid. This is the first time that material has ever been collected directly from an asteroid.

While only a tiny sample was collected - with the  fragments weighing a few tenths of a millimetre the mission looks to have proven what has long been suspected about the makeup of Asteroids.

It has been found found that the asteroid, and it is thought other similar S-type asteroids are made of the same materials as most meteorites found on Earth - Stone Chondrites.

I sell many of these meteorites,and make various pieces of jewellery with them so it is fascinating to think of the origins of some of my meteorite jewellery.

What could be more exciting to wear something made of the same material as an Asteroid!

Read more about the mission and its revelations here…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14678587

I am very proud to announce that the Jurassic Jewellery range is now stocked on ‘The Space Collective’ webstore.

This is the only NASA licensed shop in the UK and stocks a huge range of NASA products and space memorabilia. There are some incredible things to buy there - such as astronauts autographs, spacesuits etc and I am really looking forward to working with them

http://www.thespacecollective.com

Ian Barrett
Jurassic Jewellery
A Unique Collection Of Jewellery Made With Meteorites And Fossils
http://www.jurassicjewellery.co.uk