Onyx Jewelry From Ancient Greece To Now
Onyx earrings and onyx pendants are typically black, but the stone actually comes in a variety of colors. Onyx is also very popular for men's jewelry, such as in a modern silver ring. Many people refer to onyx as the "background gem" because of its dark color, which can be used as a background for more brightly colored gems, or paired with many different colors of clothing.
Onyx pendants have been popular for centuries; in fact, the gem's use for jewelry dates back to ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. The word comes from the Greek for "fingernail," because of a story about Cupid clipping Venus' nails while she slept and spreading them in the sand. Now ladies wear onyx earrings, and most probably do not know the ancient story about Cupid and Venus. A modern silver ring with an onyx stone is, however, a little bit closer to the fingernails.
Although onyx earrings and onyx pendants can range in color from white to reddish brown to black, the darker colors are more well-known for their use as a backdrop for color play. The fine texture also makes it ideal for carving, foil for carved rock crystal, or with red ruby in Art Deco designs. It is also popular in marcasite jewelry, as well as silver. Anyone who would like to add a little black magic to their jewelry design should consider onyx.
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