Marcasite Jewelry

Things to Know about Marcasite Jewelry

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You probably hear some jewelry sellers or shops refer to their products as 'marcasite' jewelry. Do you know what 'marcasite' really is? Marcasite is a mineral. It is another term used for iron sulfide. But for the so-called marcasite jewelry, it uses iron pyrite instead of iron sulfide or the real marcasite. The marcasite and iron pyrite have FeS2 as their chemical formula, the only difference is with how their crystals are formed, and it is the main reason why they are treated as different minerals.

The real marcasite or iron sulfide cannot be made into jewelry because they are brittle and usually crumble easily into powdery dust. That is why jewelry makers use iron pyrite or what other people call fool's gold instead.

The history of marcasite jewelry can be traced back several thousands of years ago. Ancient people such as the Greek ancestors and the Incas of Peru have been known to adorn themselves with marcasite jewelry. During the 18th century, people use marcasite in some of their jewelry such as brooches, cameos, and lockets.

Moreover, the Victorian era in Europe was a period when marcasite was popularly used, especially by royalties. The then Queen Victoria of Britain used black clothes accessorized with Marcasite Jewelry to signify her mourning after her husband's death. After that, it became a trend among ordinary people as well because of the relatively cheaper price of marcasite jewelry than real gold.

Marcasites also have that antique or vintage appeal even though they are brand new. This unique characteristic makes them a jewelry collector's favourite.

These days, you will see many jewelry stores selling marcasite jewelry. However, some of them are also very expensive, which is why you have to know how to properly take care of them. It is actually easy to clean and care for marcasite jewelry. Here are some tips that you should know.

- Most jewelry makers use prongs to set their gem stones into place. For marcasites, they use cement to secure precious stones. This is the main reason why marcasites should not be wet to prevent the gem stone from getting loose. If you will do something that will require you to use water such as watering plants, taking a bath or shower, or washing the dishes, make sure that you remove your marcasite jewelry first.

- Do not use any harsh cleaners such as steamers, chemical jewelry cleaners, or ultrasonic cleaners. What you can do to clean your Marcasite Jewelry is to just wipe it with a soft, dry, or even slightly damp, cloth. If you are going to wipe it with a damp cloth, make sure that you pat the jewelry dry before storing it. You can use a towel or any absorbent cloth to dry the jewelry.

- Keep them in a nice and dry storage box or container and keep them out of children's reach or from getting damp or wet.

It might be tedious but you have to take care of your Marcasite Jewelry the right way if you want them to last for a long time.

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