Marcasite: A Sparkle for Every Season

(Deco Mother of Pearl Necklace)

What stone was popular to the ancient Greeks, the Inca of Latin America, Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette and Queen Victoria? –Marcasite of course.  Okay maybe not of course, but it’s true and kind of fantastic.

(Deco Marcasite Earrings)

If you are one of the people asking what marcasite is, let me tell you.  (After all spell check does not recognize the word 'marcasite' despite the fact that it is a beautiful stone used in jewelry, well, almost forever.)

(Marcasite Bracelet)

Marcasite is a pyrite, otherwise know as iron disulphined (FeS2) and it is a beautiful, metallic, black colored stone, faceted and worn as jewelry.   Cut similar to a rose cut diamond, it typically has a flat bottom and a faceted almost pyramid shaped top.  And it is usually set is sterling silver, displaying an enchanting mystery and sparkle.

(Deco Watch Brooch)

Gaining popularity in the later half of the 18^th century, Marcasite replaced cut steel jewelry as the non diamond sparkle of choice as jewelers began using exquisite craftsmanship and invention to create the most beautiful and fantastic designs with this sparkling stone.  Its popularity continued well into the Art Deco era where its sparkle gave wonderful life to the industrial lines of the Art Deco era. 

(Deco Chrysoprase & Marcasite Ring)

And here it is in it's natural form.

CHRYSOPHRASE: The Other Green Stone

In the store I often get questions about the stone chrysophrase so I thought I would write a blog. 

Often mistaken for jade, chrysophrase is a beautiful opalescent green color and is part of the same rare quartz family chalcedony, as onyx, agate & carnelian.  It gets it beautiful green color from nickel and it rates a 7 on the Mohs scale.

         Like many of my favorite gemstones it has a long history.  The word "chrysophrase" comes from the Greek "Chryso" meaning gold and the root word "Prasinon" meaning green.  And the ancient Greeks and Romans used chrysophrase to make beautiful cameos and intaglios. 

         Chrysophrase can also be found in the decoration and jewelry of the Ancient Pharaohs.  And in ancient China it was believed to balance the Yin and Yang, while in India it was believed to heal a broken heart.

         One of its heydays was during the Middle Ages when it was mined in Silesia, in what is now Northern Czech Republic and Southern Poland.  So loved was this stone it was mined to exhaustion in Silesia although it can be now found on other continents.  One of its greatest consumers was Prussian King Frederick the Great who was born in 1712 and ruled from 1740-1786.  A patron of Bach and a friend with Voltaire, he was also was an enormous fan of chyrsophrase, using it to adorn his palace in Potsdam.

         Another enormous fan of chrysophrase was the famous Peter Carl Fabrage who featured it in many of his exotic pieces.

         In our store I am drawn to chrysophrase pieces used in Arts and Crafts jewelry and pieces from the Art Deco era where its distinctive apple green color gives beauty to every piece it touches.         

-Miko