Jewelry Bonanza

The scientific name for onyx is chalcedony quartz. The stone is a silicone dioxide, and it can be colored black, brown, reddish-brown, or red carnelian. Black onyx, which sometimes has bands of white running through it, is commonly incorporated in the design of elegant onyx earrings.

The stones are created when gas pockets form and dry in lava, solidifying into hard crystal shapes. The resulting raw onyx is usually polished before it is carved into a particular shape.

The white bands that run through black onyx are always parallel to each other. The black stones’ appearance makes them a popular choice, not only for earrings, but for carved figures and cameos as well. Once polished to a fine shine, cut stones have an absorbing appearance likened to that of staring into a still black pool.

The Spiritual Significance of Onyx Earrings

Those with a yen for the spiritual believe onyx gemstones are able to banish grief and release other negative emotions. Additionally, they protect the wearer from toxic or unhappy relationships while encouraging happiness, relaxation and creative inspiration.

With its association with healing, self-discipline and helping a person master their own fate; some people turn to the stone to help break bad habits. Moreover, onyx has been worn in relation to wisdom, good luck, happiness and self-confidence since ancient times. The healing and protective properties that come with wearing a pair of onyx earrings are supposed to enhance the ability to guide your own dreams, visions and mediation, while strengthening the heart and kidneys.

Face Shapes and Complementary Earring Styles

Onyx earrings come in a variety of styles. Choosing the style that best complements one’s face shape helps to bring out the best appearance from both earrings and the wearer:

A round face can appear less doughy when wearing earrings with angular shapes like squares, rectangles and triangles. Long, thin earrings complement even the roundest face while short, wide earrings emphasize a round face shape. As such, it is best to avoid earrings that echo this face shape.

A pair of truncated earrings can complement an oval face, which can appear elongated sometimes. Examples include studs, short hoops or bead bursts to keep the face from looking too long. The same can’t be said for long, solid earrings. A person with an oval face can pull off long earrings as long as the earrings’ shape is distinct, such as a crisp square or a sharp circle.

As with the round face, a person brings attention to a heart-shaped face when wearing earrings the same shape as the face. It’s best to avoid diamond-shaped, oval or pointed earrings. Instead, earrings that narrow the forehead and emphasize the chin, such as triangle or chandelier earrings shapes that are relatively bottom heavy are preferable.

The long and thin appearance of an angular, rectangle face can be made to look softer with curved lines, such as earrings shaped as wide hoops. The key is to step away from long, heavy earrings that pull the face down and draw attention away from the cheekbones.

Like a rectangle shaped face, the person can soften a square face by wearing earrings formed in a rounded shape. Angular shapes or anything with distinct corners is a no-no as they can make a square face look too rigid and heavy.

Caring For Your Earrings

Caring for a pair of onyx earrings is as simple as wiping them clean with a soft, moistened cloth. It is best to avoid ultrasonic cleaners, which can chip or scratch the gemstone. Onyx can be a porous gemstone, and absorb the chemicals in detergents, ammonia and plain soap. This can build up inside the stones, dulling the shine and even causing discoloration. The setting can be cleaned with a paste of baking soda and water, which should be wipes off with a soft damp cloth.

Onyx jewelry was once highly valued by the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians because it was so rare. Today though, things like onyx earrings are much more common, but no less treasured despite their lower value. The stones, especially the elegant black onyx, look good in both silver and gold jewelry settings, and are subtle and effective accents for other gemstones.