Sterling Silver Marcasite Brooch/Pin
.925 Vintage Jewelry

Design - Penguin              

Weight - 6.1 grams

Appx. Size - 1 1/4" x 5/8"

Marcasite jewelry is made by setting small pieces of faceted pyrite into silver. Properly cut marcasite jewelry pieces reflect light at different angles from their different facets to give the sparkle and an attractive look.

So why is this called marcasite jewelry if it is made out of pyrite?

Up to about the 19th century, marcasite and pyrite were considered the same gemstone. The word "marcasite" is derived from an Arabic word meaning pyrite. In most marcasite jewelry, pyrite(also known as fool's gold) is the main component rather than marcasite itself. It is used to increase the durability and quality of the jewelry piece. Fool’s Gold(pyrite) looks as stunning as marcasite and both pyrite and marcasite are chemically iron sulfide but they share different crystal structures resulting in varying physical properties. In general, pyrite is more stable and less brittle than marcasite, making it the better choice for "marcasite" jewelry.

Marcasite jewelry has been popular from the time of the Incas. In the Incas civilization, large amounts were found in the burial sites dating between 1100 and 1500. Therefore, marcasite is also known as "the gemstone of the Incas."

The Ancient Greeks introduced marcasite jewelry and the Thracians north are believed to have created some of the oldest marcasite jewelry pieces in Europe. The ancient empires in the Middle East have a rich history with marcasite jewelry also.

The period between the late 1830s and 1900s,(18th and 19th centuries) under Queen Victoria’s rule, were called The Golden Age of Marcasite. The interest in marcasite jewelry started after Queen Victoria wanted the entire court to wear black after the death of Prince Albert. The queen adhered to the etiquettes of a widow and dressed up in black while wearing marcasite items. After that, many people started choosing marcasite as their fashionable attire.

Art Nouveau designers promoted popular marcasite jewelry in the early nineteenth century throughout the Victorian era. Also, the designers introduced nature-inspired marcasite jewelry pieces such as flowers, butterflies, etc. which became highly popular because of their charm and beauty. Unique designs of marcasite jewelry were also popular in the 1920s.

Please note, this piece is new but may or may not be missing a stone. If so, it is definitely not noticeable. I am listing over 30 new vintage marcasite pieces and a few appear to be missing a stone. The piece pictured in this actual item you will receive.