Since ancient times jewellery makers have always been striving to produce new and interesting designs and this can be best achieved when a new material becomes available for use. Gemstones have always been popular due to their bright and attractive colour and onyx is really no different. Onyx is often used as a background to highlight and enhance other colours but onyx jewellery is also very sought after.

Traditionally we recognise the onyx stone as a black stone normally set into signet rings. Onyx is from the quartz family of stones and has a very fine texture and comes in its trademark black colour. Onyx is also available with a variation of streams or ribbons of white streaking across the stone. This type of onyx is excellent in jewellery
because of the contrast of the black and white and if the fine layers are even this fine onyx can be carved to make cameo jewellery.

Using onyx to make jewellery is not a new phenomenon and this stone was a firm favourite of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The name onyx is derived from the Greek word, onux, which when translated means fingernail. As well as the traditional colour onyx there is also a variety known as sardonyx, which is reddish brown and white in colour. Onyx is a jeweller’s dream as it is easy to work with and it goes with everything! The black colour makes an excellent backdrop for gemstones and in particular diamonds. Onyx is used in the manufacture of many different types of jewellery from rings to pins and is also very popular in marcasite type jewellery.