Marcasite Pearl Drop Earrings
You must be a subscriber, and be logged in to view price and dealer details.
Subscribe Now to view actual auction price for this item
When you subscribe, you have the option of setting the currency in which to display prices to $Au, $US, $NZ or Stg.
- Marcasite - Marcasite is a mineral, iron sulphide, but is rarely used in jewellery. Instead marcasite is the name given to iron pyrites, the mineral sold as marcasite which is identical in copmosition to iron sulphide but crystalises as a cube, making it more suitable for jewellery. It is a brassy yellow in colour and is also known as "fool's gold", and sits well with silver rather than gold becasue of its colour.
Marcasite has been used in jewellery since ancient times and became popular again in jewellery in the 18th century, continuing through to the early 20th century, with the settings becoming cheaper as time progressed, eventually earning the sobriquet "costume jewellery" along with other cheap jewellery that was made for a prevailing pattern and meant to be changed with each new outfit.
This item has been included into following indexes:
Visually similar items
18ct deep gold South Sea pearl earrings. High lustre smooth golden pearl tops with white gold, facetted beads, yellow and rose gold textured beads, and oval orange golden pearls 10.5 x 11.5 mm approx. Length 40 mm.
14ct yellow gold, pearl & diamond earrings, approx 10.8 grams
18ct yellow gold Broome pearl earrings. Curved loop earrings with detachable white Broome, pearls, smooth high lustre 10.62 x 12.44 mm each.
Pearl and diamond earrings, 18ct yellow gold, with a series of four brilliant-cut diamonds, stamped '18K, weight approximately 4 grams