Judith Jack Sterling Silver Marcasite Pierced Earrings

Judith Jack jewelry is always made of Sterling silver Marcasite, just like these ornate earrings pictured above.  Judith and Jack Rosenberg started the Judith Jack jewelry line in 1969, when they realized there was very little marcarsite estate jewelry available.  They had been selling antique pieces, and they could not keep up with the demand for this beautiful victorian-inspired jewelry from their buyers.  Judith Rosenberg is actually known as the "Queen of Marcasite" in the United States.

So, what exactly is marcasite?  Most jewelry sold as "marcasite" is actually made of pyrite.  Pyrite is much harder than marcasite which is brittle, lightweight, and easily broken.  The Swiss began using marcasite in the 1700s as a replacement for diamonds (due to its metallic luster and diamond-like shine) and it was also very popular during the Victorian Era (1837-1901).

Feel free to contact me if you are interested in purchasing this piece.  Questions, comments, and additional information are always appreciated.  My online shop on http://www.ebay.com/ is coming soon.

Thank you to the following website(s) for the historical content of this blog post:

The Vault Jewelry. Retrieved 2/14/2011 from http://thevaultjewelry.com/viva/jewelry/judithjack.php

Jackson Jewels. Retrieved 2/14/2011 from http://www.jacksonjewels.com/Reference/Jewelry_Companies_J-L.htm

Ehow. Retrieved 2/14/2011 from http://www.ehow.com/about_6610230_marcasite-jewelry_.html?ref=Track2