MAY/JUNE 2020 33
How much does it cost?
Rough can run from $5 to $25 per pound. Cut stones are
priced by the stone and range from $15 to $200 per stone
depending on size and pattern.How hard is it to fi nd?
A little looking should help you fi nd the material at shows
and online.What kind of jewelry can I put this in?
This stone should hold up well in just about any type of
jewelry, as the pyrite is 6 to 6½ in hardness on the Mohs
Scale, while agate is about a 6½.How easy is it to set?
Stones are generally cut into cabs with fl at backs. It
should be easy to set for most levels of setting skills.What settings are best?
Bezels or interrupted bezels would frame this stone well,
though prongs could be used.Artisan/studio dos and don’ts:
Use the care you would with any stone of this hardness.
Because pyrite can be brittle, avoid the steamer and
sonic. For those cutting the stone from rough, you’ll need
to take the slightly diff erent hardnesses of pyrite and
agate into consideration. However, says Diengott, “It does
not undercut when polishing, and is durable, hard, and
not diffi cult to cut.”Wearer dos and don’ts:
You should be able to wear pyrite-in-agate with
confi dence.What cutters/designers think:
“I’d never heard of it before,” says jewelry artist Nina
Raizel Hartman, “but I fell in love with pyrite-in-agate
when I saw it. It’s dark and mysterious with irregular spots
of shiny gold pyrite in a dark agate background. The color
palette is quite neutral, but a little fl ashy and diff erent
than any other stone. It looks great set either in silver or
gold and would go best with black or dark gray clothing.”Acknowledgment:A big thank you to Diane Diengott, president of
Dikra Gem, Inc. who provided the information on this material.SHARON ELAINE THOMPSON is a freelance writer based in Oregon. She has written for
Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist since 1987. You can learn more about her and read previous
articles at http://www.jewelryartdiva.com. She also blogs frequently about birthstones and other
stones for http://www.interweave.com/jewelry.Just the Facts
Use It in
Earrings
RIPPLES, PAGE 34“I fell in love with
pyrite-in-agate
when I saw it.
It’s dark and
mysterious.
The color palette
is quite neutral,
but a little flashy
and different than
any other stone.
It looks great set
either in silver
or gold.”
32_SmokinStones_PyriteAgate_LJJA_MA20.indd 33 3/16/20 3:40 PM