For the essentials you need to know about marcasite, including its origin, how it is used in jewellery and the different cuts of marcasite gemstones that are available, look no further than the below guide.
Where does marcasite come from?
Genuine marcasite comes from the mineral pyrite, which is a beautiful, metallised stone similar in appearance to gold which is why it is often referred to as ‘Fools Gold’.
The basic composition of pyrite is iron sulphide, but true marcasite has to be white iron sulphide based. It has a cubic or ‘pyritohedral’ structure, meaning it has 12 sides most usually occurring with pentagonal faces (five edges) and forms beautiful shapes quite naturally without the need for any cutting in some instances. Pyrite is extremely brittle when cut, which is why facetted stones tend to be very small.
History of marcasite jewellery
In most jewellery, the term ‘marcasite’ is generally used to describe pyrite and not technically marcasite, but this has been the case for hundreds of years.
For many, the term marcasite conjures up images from the Victorian era using tiny profusions of stones to grain set elaborate and decorative pieces, which would often interconnect making them multi-functional. Another period of popularity was the 1930s within the Art Deco style, which again was the perfect vehicle for monochrome designs as almost all marcasite without exception was set into silver or white metal.
Marcasite seemed to fall out of favour for many years, and it would often find itself resigned to grandmother’s jewellery box or selling second hand at flea markets and antique fairs – but buying habits are changing. Metallics have been and continue to be a huge fashion trend, but equally, shoppers are also looking for links to the past with antique-style pieces in the form of brooches and hair pieces, so once again popularity has swung in favour of marcasite.
Where to buy marcasite gemstones
Industry leaders in crafting and creating quality stones, Preciosa Fine Jewelry Stones are available in a variety of sizes which fit perfectly into our modern day requirements. Using their industry leading technology and years of experience, Preciosa have precision cut each and every one of these gemstones into fine stones for jewellery making, and there are a number of different cuts to choose from.
For those who want a more modern look, Preciosa offer marcasite in a rose cut, but if you want something more vintage there is the beautiful table cut, which has far fewer facets and encompasses the look most remember when thinking of marcasite.
It doesn’t stop therePreciosa also produce Genuine Marcasite Gemstones in a round rose cut with a flat back. This rose cut with its many facets, reflects light and gives jewellery its characteristic sparkle.
Although small, these tiny stones can become very impactful. Their dark metallic colour and clean cuts can be built up to create beautiful strong swirls and lines of monochrome sparkle, which can look just as current today as they did Victorian times. They are also relatively inexpensive to buy, so you can afford to be experimental without too much worry.
So, if you want to try using marcasite in one of your jewellery making projects, why not start by exploring the range of Preciosa Marcasite Gemstones available at Cooksongold today.
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