What's New, Sardonyx & Onyx, & Free
Shipping
To go to the MrBead store
click MrBead.com or
MrBead.co.uk
Click a picture below to see one of this month's new beads.
To receive free shipping enter "onyx" (without the commas) in the box
at checkout, and click "Redeem Coupon". Use NOW - as expires
Friday 18th November 2011.
No minimum order, but can only
for used at MrBead.com or
MrBead.co.uk and cannot be used
with any other discount or eBay.
Sardonyx & Onyx Beads
This
time of year, darker colors are in, except for Christmas of course when bright
reds and greens look great. You need
onyx beads for the same reason you have so many black clothes - you can wear it
with anything! Onyx mixes well with other colors too. Being unobtrusive,
allowing other brilliantly colored gemstones to shine. Yet at the same time,
when onyx is highly polished and nicely faceted, this stone demands attention on
its own.
Although
onyx is one of the more recognized stones, nearly all stones sold as "black
onyx" are actually color enhanced chalcedony. Which is not so bad as onyx is a
member of the agate-chalcedony family, just like carnelian. Stones sold as
"banded onyx" with swirls and curving bands of white are also color enhanced
agates. In fact you can pretty much assume that all onyx sold today is color
enhanced. True onyx has alternating bands of black and white layers that are
pretty straight.
The
coloring process used to turn chalcedony into black onyx is rather interesting.
Natural chalcedonies are first soaked in a concentrated sugar solution, and then
heated in sulfuric acid. Just like when you are cooking with sugar, the heat
carbonizes the sugar soaked up into the porous stone and turns it into the
beloved black color. Thanks to this technique, onyx is now readily available and
affordable.
Onyx
looks bold and sexy when combined with red beads. It tones down a colorful
necklace that might other wise look garish, yet prevents pastel projects from
appearing bubblegum sweet. Onyx is also fantastic with stones that have black
inclusions, like tourmalated quartz and Peruvian opal. The black of the onyx
stops the inclusions from being a distracting flaw by turning them into bridges
that allow the viewer to keep their eyes moving over the necklace. Faceted onyx
adds sophistication to your designs, while smooth onyx inserts a sleek and
modern touch. And onyx with pearls creates very elegant jewelry. Onyx's
versatility gives it limitless possibility mixed with other stones, so it's a
good idea to always have a few onyx beads handy.
Sardonyx
is onyx with white and red-brown bands- named from the Greek, "Sard" meaning
"reddish brown," and onyx meaning "veined gem". Sardonyx at one time was more
precious than gold, silver, or sapphire! Roman soldiers wore sardonyx talismans
engraved with heroes such as Hercules or Mars, god of war. They believed that
the stone would make the wearer as brave and daring as the figured carved on it.
And during the Renaissance, sardonyx was thought to greatly help public
speakers.
Onyx has been used to strengthen the heart, kidneys, nerves, hair, eyes and nails; while sharpening the wits, controlling emotions, inspiring spirituality and aiding sleep. Also said to eliminate negative thoughts, apathy, stress and neurological disorders & and black Onyx is used to help change habits.
Care and treatment: Onyx may chip or scratch rather easily, so store onyx carefully and never allow two specimens to touch each other.
To see all or Onyx beads click
MrBead.com or
MrBead.co.uk
To see all our Sardonyx beads click
MrBead.com or
MrBead.co.uk
From our
new book How to Make a Killing Selling Bead
Jewelry - to buy at a 33% discount to listed
price click:
US Version or
UK Version
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