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 In
jewellery 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 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, 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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