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Onyx
 

	In Jewelry design as in fashion, colors look crisper against a black background. In fine Jewelry, the black backdrop is often supplied by Onyx, a Chalcedony quartz with a fine texture and parallel bands of alternate colors (typically black and white). Interestingly, the name Onyx is often only applied to the black bands.
	Commonly known as “Black Magic”, the name comes from the Greek word “Onyx”, which means finger nail or claw. Legend says that one day while Venus was sleeping Cupid cut her fingernails and left the clippings scattered on the ground. Because no part of a heavenly body can die, the gods turned them into a gem which later became known as Onyx.

Onyx was very popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans. 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. Today when we think of Onyx we often preface the word with black to distinguish it from other varieties of Onyx that come in white, reddish brown, green, brown and banded. Onyx which is reddish brown and white is known as Sardonyx.
 

With its consecutive layers of different colors, Onyx is an excellent material for cameos (i.e. a gem carved in relief) and some variegated pieces are used for the carving of multi-colored figurines.
 

The ancient Romans carved different patterns in each layer of a multi-layered Onyx and often used the gems for their seals, carving a design in negative relief to produce the raised print. 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.
 

Hard, tough and durable, Onyx is ideal for carving and engraving or fashioning into beads, spheres and bowls, making paper weights, pen holders, book ends and boxes. Used in Jewelry, Onyx is ideally suited to inlay work, where it shines as a backdrop for color play.
 

Ideally suited to men, Onyx is associated with instincts and intuition. It is believed to give one the power to deeply analyze a situation before reacting to it, as well as better business acumen and management skills. Crystal healers also believe that it restores confidence in life and love, thereby increasing your happiness.