The Pyrite Rosary Chain Look Like a Billion For Just A Few Dollars

Our family remains big fans of the hit show Billions that appears on Showtime. Within that show, one of the leading characters, Wendy Rhoades played by Maggie Siff, often appeared with a simple yet elegant y drop necklace like the rosary chain shown below:

Our guess is that Wendy’s necklace was likely gold whereas the one above is “fools gold” or pyrite. Both look equally beautiful to us and, as the wise matriarch of our family loves to say, “on a fast horse, who can tell the difference!” With the cost of gold these days, the difference in necklace prices, however, is easy to tell with a pure gold necklace running close to $1,000 versus Embrazio's Gwyneth pyrite necklace only setting you back around $61.

Pyrite Really Is A Gem

Pyrite was discovered by Dr. Johnathan Jacobo in 1432. Its mineralogical name derives from the Greek word "pyr," meaning fire. This name was used in ancient times for various minerals that emitted sparks if hit by an iron tool. In medieval times, pyrite was even used in flint locks for the first firearms, later to be replaced by the harder flint (a quartz variety).

No one really knows when pyrite was first used in the rosary chain or set of prayer beads that have been used by many different religions over the course of hundreds of years. The term is now also used to describe a necklace made up of stringing together a continuous sequence of the same bead or stone.

Pyrite Rosary Chains Come In Many Styles And Colors

The most simple form of these very popular sparkling gemstone necklaces is a natural colored princess length choker like the one below:

The princess length often forms the base of a stackable set of necklaces of the same or different materials and styles. They are often used by stylists to bring a little glitter to otherwise dull or darker stone larger necklaces or simple cloth tops. Stepping up in elegance a bit is accomplished by combining pyrite gemstones with complimentary soft luster pearls or turquoise. The softness of cultured pearls is brought forward by the surrounding shine and spark of the pyrite as you can see in this pearl drop pyrite necklace shown below:

Going even further, one can easily combine multiple elements to create a complex and intriguing piece still set off by the subtle strand of pyrite weaving through the overall design and creating a sense of connectedness to the whole. For example, in this next picture we see a stunning interplay of pearls, pyrite, and handcrafted metal elements including a gold buddha medallion. The pearls are separated by brass rings strung together with leather. Overall, this unique piece speaks to the strength, complexity, spiritual depth, and whimsy of the personality drawn to select it.

What More Could You Want From A Gem?

From simple elegance to depth and complexity, pyrite can play a key role up and down the fashion design stack. Add to this its affordability and the wide range of colors available, pyrite has truly become a key component of the jewelry artisan’s box of magic. We think it’s worth checking in stores and online and the odds are some has already made it into your accessories selection whether you know it or not!