What on Earth Is Onyx?

Onyx is a banded variety of the mineral chalcedony, usually black with gray and white bands, and it scores 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale. It is porous, so wipe it with a dry cloth rather than soaking it. Here are its varieties, history and lore, or go straight to our onyx collection.

Chalcedony is a fibrous cryptocrystalline material composed of the silica minerals, quartz and moganite. It naturally occurs in silica-rich marine sedimentary rocks, in sandstones as cement, or in volcanic rocks as fillings or crusts.

The Physical Properties of Onyx

Onyx is a translucent to opaque material, made of Silicon Dioxide (SiO2). It has a hardness of 6 ½ to 7 in the Mohs scale and a density of about 2.55 to 2.70 grams per cubic centimeter. This mineral produces a white streak and commonly possesses a waxy luster, sometimes elaborated as vitreous-waxy or silky when polished. Onyx is typically found with no traces of impurities.

Onyx is a relatively soft, porous material that can absorb water and other liquids easily. Using a dry cloth or soft brush to wipe off dirt from an Onyx stone is best practice.

While the Black Onyx is the most known of its kind, more Onyx varieties can be classified according to the colors of its base and bands. Some of which are:

• Sardonyx is a relatively common and affordable variety which is usually flat banded with a brown base and reddish bands.
• Carnelian Onyx has a striking red base with lighter color bands. It displays alternating red and white bands.
• Niccolo Onyx has very thin upper layers. It allows the color of the black base layer to be seen through as grey or blue.
• Green Onyx is commonly mistaken for jade or emerald because of its green base, but is distinguishable for its form and structure. It has white and brown bands.

The History of Onyx

Onyx is a Latin word derived from the Greek term ????, meaning nail or claw, referring to the colors of its parallel bands often resembling that of a bird's claw. Onyx deposits are found in several areas in the world including, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Botswana, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Germany, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, the UK, Uruguay, and the USA.

This material has been used throughout history as hardstone carvings, jewelry, and cameo engraved gems. The green onyx variety was a preferred choice for a sculpture base or plinth during the 1920s-1930s in Brazil. Onyx was also used to make pottery items in Ancient Egypt. In the 1930s, the iconic Villa of Greta and Fritz Tugendhat ” declared by UNESCO as one of the World's Cultural Heritage Sites ” was famously completed with a semi-translucent interior wall surface made from Onyx, by designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Onyx has been widely recognized in the history of art, stoneware, and architectural aesthetics.

The Lore of Onyx

Cupid, the Roman god of love, used the point of his arrows to cut the fingernails of his sleeping mother, Venus. Her nails fell from Mount Olympus to the sacred river, Indus, and sank deep into the bottom where it metamorphosed into onyx. This is the most well-known mythical legend of Onyx. Onyx was a sacred stone in Roman history. Sardonyx was carried as an amulet or protective stone during battle.

It was also believed that the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra possessed an onyx stone to warn her for imminent dangers. Onyx absorbs dark energy and is said to appear darker the more it clears negativity in a space.

Onyx is the birthstone of Leo and a strong spiritual guide for Sagittarius. Both being fire signs - adventurous, romantic, and restless to a point - Onyx provides both zodiacs a sense of destination. It is a stone of harmonious relationships and, in lore, of work-life balance for the ever so busy Leos and Sagittarians. See more in our gemstone beads.

The Metaphysical Properties of Onyx

In lore, onyx is a Warrior Stone, linked with courage and facing fear. It is associated with clarity, wise decisions, self-discipline and letting go of the past, and with the base chakra and grounding. Some people keep it nearby as a protective stone. Like the moon and stars in the dead of night, this sturdy stone stands for light in dark times, inner peace and certainty.