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In jewelry design as in fashion, colors look
crisper against a background of black and black
and white always looks right. In fine jewelry,
the black backdrop is often supplied by onyx,
a chalcedony quartz with a fine texture and
black color. Some onyx also displays white
bands or ribbons against a black background.
If the layers are even, this type of onyx can be
carved into cameos.
Onyx was very popular with the ancient Greeks and
Romans. The name comes from the Greek word onux,
which means fingernail. The story is that one day frisky
Cupid cut the divine fingernails of Venus with an
arrowhead while she was sleeping. He left the clippings
scattered on the sand and the fates turned them into
stone so that no part of the heavenly body would ever
perish. True, black isn't normally the color one associates
with fingernails. (Did Venus wear Vamp?) But in Greek
times, almost all colors of chalcedony from fingernail white
to dark brown and black were called onyx. Later, the
Romans narrowed the term to refer to black and dark
brown colors only.
Onyx which is reddish brown and white is known as
sardonyx. Sardonyx was highly valued in Rome,
especially for seals, because it was said to never stick to
the wax. Roman General Publius Cornelius Scipio was
known for wearing lots of sardonyx.
Black onyx especially shines when used as a backdrop for
color play. Its fine texture also makes it ideal for carving,
making it a favored material for today's lapidary artists. In
the pin by designer Susan Helmich above, a carved piece
of onyx with threads of white provides a stunning backdrop
for a flash of color. Onyx was often used as the perfect foil
for carved rock crystal or the drop dead red of rubies in Art
deco designs. It is also popular in marcasite jewelry. So if
you would like to add a little black magic to your jewelry
design, consider onyx.
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