[Jewelry making - Article 00086] - Re: [Orchid] Russian Pyrite

[Beth Rosengard]

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>     Can anyone tell me if Russian Pyrite (rainbow pyrite)  is color
>     stable? 

    Hi Gary,  The color is definitely natural: I have seen it in situ
    within large geode halves.  However it can fade, although not for the
    reasons you'd probably expect.  I learned the following from a stone
    cutter a couple of years ago. 

    It was commonly accepted that the bright colors often seen in
    rainbow pyrite were not permanent because, by the time the material
    had gone through the cutting process, most of the colors had faded to
    pastel greens and oranges. Eventually, some bright-eyed lapidary
    realized that the color change only occurred after the stones were
    left to soak in soapy water -- a common practice for cleaning them
    after cutting.  It turns out that the fading is due to water, not
    other factors, and can be avoided by not soaking this material.  You
    can use soap and water to clean it; just don't let it sit in water
    any longer than necessary. 

    I've used a lot of brightly colored rainbow pyrite in my jewelry and
    never noticed any fading, even under the halogen lighting I use in my
    show booth, though I couldn't swear that it would never fade if left
    out in bright sunlight. 

Beth


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