18-19cm

Onyx is one of those precious stones whose charm has made it a great success among lovers of exceptional stones. Onyx belongs to the agate family, it is a variety of chalcedony essentially composed of silicon dioxide. It has a trigonal crystal system with a conchoidal fracture. Onyx has a vitreous luster, its density is between 2.65 and 2.66 and is characterized by a relatively high hardness of about 7 on the Mohs scale.

Onyx can appear under a polychrome coloring by alternating black and white circular stripes around a darker core (this stone is called "eye onyx"). The onyx also has a monochromatic color, therefore completely black. This type of natural coloring is prized in jewelry, which distinguishes this natural stone from artificially colored chalcedony.

The most notable deposits of onyx are found in Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, the United States, Madagascar and India.

History of onyx

The most commonly accepted origin of the word onyx would derive from the ancient Greek "Onux" and would mean "nail". This etymology has its origins in Greek mythology, in particular in the myth of the creation of onyx. Legend has it that Cupid, coming to find the goddess Aphrodite while she was sleeping soundly, cut his nails with the tip of one of his arrows. The tips of the nails of the fallen goddess nails were transformed into onyx stones by the Fates, because in the Greek belief that what comes from the gods cannot be corrupted.

For the Romans, onyx was the ideal material for engraving seals. This is mainly due to its property of not adhering to the wax used to seal the letters and letters of the time. In the Middle Ages, onyx was one of those stones that earned a bad reputation.

According to the ancient popular belief that the color and appearance of the thing were in tune with its nature, it is easy to imagine the reasons for the negative conception of this black stone at the time. It must be said that onyx is perhaps one of the stones with the most controversial reputation. If it is an evil stone for some people like the Chinese, for example, it has been on the contrary protective and beneficial for other people like the Indians.

30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

are you not satisfied with your purchase? You will have the option to return it and receive a full refund within 30 days of payment.