Onyx

Very popular amongst the ancient Greeks and Romans, Onyx is a brown or black gemstone with white bands. The name comes from the latin onux, meaning fingernail. The stone’s mythology traces back to the fingernails of Aphrodite herself.

Onyx is used in the manufacture of exotic jewelry. The stone is quite hard and durable. Jewelers cut onyx into beads or as cabochons and use it to make both cameos and intaglios.

Onyx is a variety of chalcedony quartz; tiger eye and carnelian belong to the same family. Chalcedony is translucent or semi translucent cryptocrystalline quartz. Onyx is formed by staining agate, but also occurs free in nature as a mineral. It is available in a variety of colors like orange, honey and red.

The richness of onyx looks especially stunning when paired with gold or other warm-hued gemstones. Because of its subtlety, onyx can make a stunning backdrop for many stone settings or a classic cameo brooch.