You’ve heard the term marcasite used before, but you might not be 100% sure what it is. Many people use it when they want to make vintage-inspired jewellery or home decor. It has a very old-school cool feel to it, and many fondly look at it as a piece of Old Hollywood glamour. When it comes down to it, there’s actually a lot more to this trend.

What is Marcasite?

In its raw form, marcasite – sometimes referred to as “white iron pyrite” – is an iron sulfide with crystal structures similar to pyrite. In fact, marcasite is often mistaken for pyrite because of how much they look alike. Marcasite’s colour ranges from light yellow to white and it usually forms in low-temperature and very acidic environments. England, Poland, and Romania are a few of the countries where this mineral is produced.

Blueite is a type of marcasite that contains more nickel and commonly found in Ontario, Canada. Lonchidite is an arsenic variety in Germany, and sperkise is from France.

The Jewellery Aspect of it

Jewellers usually cut it into tiny stones and create patterns on silver jewellery. These patterns are also used around gemstones like pearls and diamonds with different floral or geometric motifs. However, because it’s so fragile, many people mix marcasite with iron pyrite. Marcasite should never be used as a centre stone because of how fragile and brittle it is.

The earliest sign of it being used in jewellery was during the Inca period, but it also made comebacks during the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods.

Many people like marcasite jewellery for different reasons. When used to decorate a piece of jewellery containing a light gemstone such as a pearl, the contract between the two shades create a beautiful shine. When paired with a dark stone like onyx, the contrast between the materials in their different forms is said to be absolutely stunning. There’s also the fact that marcasite has a shine like gold but costs less than a diamond.

How to Wear it

When styling marcasite it’s important to remember that you’re working with a piece that’s very bold and usually used as a statement piece. As a result, it’s best to wear marcasite either on its own or with a more subtle piece.

Remember that a lot of marcasite is made with the art deco or art nouveau look in mind. The best ways to wear it are with a glamorous outfit containing bold reds, bright whites and pinks to make the dark colours pop, or with other dark colours to keep a consistent flow of colours.

A lot of marcasite pieces have either sharp, angular shapes or flowing floral motifs. Modern styles are harder to come by but aren’t impossible.