Stone 101
Fool's gold. Shiny metallic cubes that grow that shape all on their own.
Pyrite is brassy gold with a metal shine, and it can grow in near-perfect cubes. On this page: specimens, points, bracelets, pendulums and Sudbury chalcopyrite pieces.
Shop Pyrite by shape
The basics
Pyrite is iron sulphide, iron and sulphur bonded together. It's the most common sulphide mineral on Earth, and its gold colour fooled plenty of prospectors.
The name comes from the Greek word for fire, because it throws sparks when struck against steel. Its cubes form naturally, no cutting needed.
Chalcopyrite is a copper-iron cousin mined around Sudbury, Ontario. Our Sudbury pieces are labelled Enhanced in the title.
Rituals, not rules
These are traditions people enjoy, not promises. Pick the one you keep coming back to.
Care
Straight talk
Real pyrite is heavy and brittle, often with fine natural lines on its faces. Plated beads and metal look-alikes tend to look shinier and too even. Some colourful pieces are enhanced, and ours say so in the title. Unsure about a piece? Ask us in the shop.
Good questions
No. Pyrite is iron sulphide. Gold is soft and bends, while pyrite is hard and shatters. Rub it on unglazed tile: gold leaves a gold streak, pyrite a greenish-black one.
It's traditionally linked with abundance, confidence and protection. People keep it on desks, in wallets and on their wrists.
Keep it dry. A quick wipe is fine, but water and humidity can make it tarnish or slowly break down. To cleanse it the traditional way, try smoke or sound instead.
Pyrite is common, so it's affordable. Crisp cubes and big, sharp specimens are worth more to collectors.
