mar·ca·site | ˈmär-kə-ˌsīt
noun
An iron ore material-- or pyrite--that is faceted into rose cuts and set into silver or pewter jewelry
Marcasite is a type of iron ore, sometimes also called “white iron pyrite”. Considered distinct from other forms of pyrite, marcasite is lighter and generally less solid than pyrite. In jewelry, any type of pyrite used as a gemstone or as part of a piece of jewelry is called marcasite. Because of how brittle true marcasite is, it is not used in jewelry, but the harder alternative in pyrite is used in a number of types of jewelry as a plentiful, low cost alternative to gold and silver. It has a golden color and can be used effectively in a number of pieces. It is soft, similar to gold, and therefore can be molded to different shapes effectively.
