Marcasite Silver Pendants Primer.

The name Marcasite is actually a charms trade name because of the commotion between marcasite and light/white iron pyrite, and it is given to the tiny, faceted gems that are inlayed in sterling silver. The clear shiny metallic character of this crystal, once faceted is a complement when matched with silver.

In the Victorian era, marcasite silver pendants, as well as other marcasite charms was very popular. Marcasite was valued due to its hazy black hue and its spark akin to that of diamonds. The classic Victorian design has stood the suffering of time and should be a current addition to every female's jewelry attire.

A professional gemologist facets the marcasite in order to best use the light. It is often set with a bit of cement in the location bottom, previous to being located in the silver setting in order to keep it steadily in place. With a good location however you will never see the glue and this is something to look out for while shopping for a good, quality pendant. If you do come across this, the craftsmanship is sub-par and best to be avoided.

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Shopping for Marcasite Silver Pendants.

You may find while browsing for marcasite silver pendants, that some examples may have obvious color differences, that can stretch from a yellowish to a greenish tint, a hazy Silver - black, with a exclusive multicolor hue, which is most commonly found and is actually a form of injury caused by oxidation.

When you're choosing a marcasite silver hanging, it is a good idea to examine the setting, to see if the stones may be loosely set. Most current marcasite examples are made to look as if they are antique, so it may be difficult to tell if the marcasite is set in authentic silver. To make certainly that your marcasite silver piece is real, flip it over and look for the silver stamp. A real silver location will have some kind of "brand "stamped someplace on the piece. Most upright jewelers will point this out for you or will not have an issue with you asking where it is. What you're looking for is, a stamp that says .925 or some form of the word authentic silver. Some charms manufacturing companies have their own exclusive impress and this may be the only stamp evident. In the case of silver pendants that may come from other countries, such as England, the brand may be a picture or a icon and this is an acceptable indicator for real authentic silver that your jeweler can verify.

If your jewelry needs to be cleaned, it is best to use a fine jewelers cloth, instead of immersing it into commercial cleaners, as they have a reputation of damaging the marcasite and can loosen the cement holding the stone. Your best bet is to take it to the jewelers for a safe, proper cleaning.