Article: Marcasite makes mark on jewelry

Q. I recently inherited some marcasite jewelry. Can you tell me anything about it? Is it valuable?

A. Enjoy your inheritance and wear your jewelry - marcasites were made to be worn, not hoarded as a valuable.

Technically, marcasite is crystallized iron pyrite that has been cut and faceted to look like a jewel. Commonly known as "fool's gold," pyrite has a metallic warmth that gemstones lack.

A popular stand-in for diamonds in jewelry of the Art Deco period, designers often combined marcasites with colored quartz - most often chalcedony or carnelian. Set by hand like a gemstone, fine marcasites ...

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