Sunday Evening Art Gallery — Onyx

Onyx is a semi-precious form of chalcedony which has alternating straight bands of color.

Chalcedony is the group name for a large family of stones, all of which form from silicon dioxide, also known as quartz. In order to be classed as chalcedony, a stone must be milky, and translucent to transparent often with layers or bands of color.

The onyx stone is often known for for its gorgeous black or brown coloring and striped bands.

But not all onyx stones are black. In fact, they come in vibrant colors weaved with magnificent bands.It typically comes in a wide array of yellow hues due to the presence of iron deposits, but other common colors are green, white, orange, gold, pink and brown.

Throughout history, onyx has been thought to bring powers of strength, protection and a strong link to the Earth.The magical properties possessed by onyx stone also gives its owner a sense of stability and confidence.