Onyx gemstone
Onyx is that the Mystical birthstone for the month of December. It is also the birth stone for the Zodiac sign of Leo. Onyx is additionally given on the 7th and 10th anniversary .
Onyx is chalcedony quartz that’s mined in Brazil, India, California and Uruguay. It has a fine texture and black colour; however some onyx also displays white bands or ribbons against a black or brown background and this variety is understood as sardonyx.
You might also like morganite stones and sapphire gems.
The name comes from the Greek word onyx which suggests nail of a finger or claw. Legend says that at some point while Venus was sleeping Eros/Cupid cut her fingernails and left the clippings scattered on the bottom . Because no a part of a celestial body can die, the gods turned them into stone which later became referred to as onyx.
Originally, most colours of chalcedony from white to dark brown and black were called onyx. Today once we consider onyx we frequently preface the word with black to differentiate it from other sorts of onyx that are available white, sepia , brown and banded. A variety of onyx that’s sepia with white and lighter reddish bands is understood as sardonyx. With a hardness of 6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, onyx is a very good stone for use in carving.
Most Black Onyx gemstones that’s commercially available today is colour enhanced (heated and dyed) to extend its depth of colour.
It has a long history of use hard stone carving and jewellery, where it is usually cut as a cabochon, flat slate or into beads. It has also been used for intaglio and hard stone cameo engraved stones, where the bands make the image contrast with the ground.
Onyx was utilized in Egypt as early because the Second Dynasty to form bowls and other pottery items. Use of sardonyx appears within the art of Minoan Crete, notably from the archaeological recoveries at Knossos.
More About onyx gemstones
Brazilian green onyx was often used as plinths for artistic movement sculptures created within the 1920s and 1930s. The German sculptor Ferdinand Preiss used Brazilian green onyx for the bottom on the bulk of his chryselephantine sculptures. Green onyx was also used for trays and pin dishes – produced mainly in Austria – often with small bronze animals or figures attached.
Onyx was known to the traditional Greeks and Romans. The first-century naturalist Pliny the Elder described both sort of onyx and various artificial treatment techniques in his “Naturalis Historia”.
Slabs of onyx from the Atlas Mountains were famously employed by Mies van der Rohe in Villa Tugendhat at Brno (completed 1930) to make a shimmering semi-translucent interior wall.
The Hotel de la Paiva in Paris is noted for its yellow onyx décor, and therefore the new Mariinsky Theatre Second Stage in St.Petersburg uses yellow onyx within the lobby.
Onyx use in jewellery
Black, the colour of night, the colour of elegance. Whether it’s that little black dress that’s just perfect for any occasion, or a pair of black onyx earrings that go with everything – you can’t go wrong with black. Black onyx is that the mystical birthstone of December, and a black onyx ring or a black onyx pendant makes an ideal birthday present . Black onyx may be a perfect gem for a custom keepsake ring or pendant. Mix it with any other gem – it goes with everything. Perfect for every day or that special occasion, onyx jewellery is a versatile and elegant choice.
A black onyx men’s ring makes for a definite and classy statement about the person who wears it. From delicate inlays to bold square, cushion or octagon cuts, black onyx stands out against any metal.
Black onyx engagement rings? Absolutely! Diamonds could also be a girl’s ally , but black onyx engagement rings are a singular , original, and a much more affordable choice. Black Onyx is understood because the gem of confidence and protection.
The Celtic knot ring is an ancient symbol of the journey of life. With no beginning and no end, the knot represents the timeless nature of our spirits and the world we live in. A black onyx Celtic knot combines these concepts with the spiritual attributes of the black onyx.
Design your very own family keepsake using a combination of black onyx and any other birthstone or gemstone in our collection. Create a one-of-a-kind piece that will be passed down through generations.
A diverse, unique, and eclectic collection of black onyx earrings and pendants is yours for the taking. Sit down for a consultation with our designer at Your Diamonds to create an extension of your own personality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, onyx is a semi-precious gemstone. Its most accepted gemstone definitions are solid black Chalcedony, or banded or layered black and white Chalcedony.
The black onyx is more valuable than the other colour variants. Still, onyx is very affordable and the item that it is set in actually can make it pricey. With a setting of silver, it’ll be less than a setting of white or yellow gold.
Being the “old tradition” birthstone for July, women are most welcome to wear onyx. They make wonderful earrings and pendants.
Yes, they do scratch, chip and crack easily. Please take care when wearing your onyx jewellery.
Onyx can be found in Brazil, Afghanistan, Uruguay, India, Peru, Madagascar and the USA. Baja California and northwest Mexico were a major source for onyx.
