Hey ๐๐พ, fellow jewelry enthusiasts! If you are new here, we use our blog โ Delightful Gems โ to share knowledge about different aspects of our handmade jewelry business.
This article is a continuation of our Letโs Talk About Beads 101 series โ where we are providing information about the various semiprecious gemstones we create our jewelry with. This time around, we are talking about Onyx.ย
Onyx belongs to the chalcedony family, a cryptocrystalline variety of quartz.ย Onyx has a multi-layered structure that is similar to that of agates. When the stone has a black base and a white upper layer, it's called "true" onyx. Uniformly black chalcedony is referred to as black onyx; however, most black onyx is grey chalcedonyย that has been chemically treated toย obtain theย rich black color. When the base layer is brown, it is called sardonyx. Carnelian-onyx has a red base.ย
Onyx is found worldwide. Brazil supplies the best multicolored raw onyx. Grey chalcedony is found in India and China.
The name "onyx"ย hasย roots in ancient Greek, where it translates to "claw" or "fingernail." Thisย refers to the translucence of the white-colored layer of this multi-layered stone.
Onyxย is a durable jewelry stone. It has a hardness ratingย of 7 on the Mohs scale. This meansย it can resist scratching,ย chips, and physicalย impact very well.ย Because ofย its hardness and durability, it should be kept away from other gemstones and jewelry to prevent scratching softer materials.
Black onyx is thought to have protective qualities, making itย favorable to carry when traveling. It is said to be useful in fighting basic fears and to heal old emotional wounds. The Romans associated onyx with courage and it is thought to be useful when one is defending him/herself against unfair criticism.
