Onyx: The Luxury Stone

Onyx is one of the precious gemstones in the world and this stone helps to keep away negative feelings like disappointments and grief in life. Onyx is also used for defense against evil, unhappiness, weariness and troubles in life. It is said that onyx gemstone is used to strengthen self-confidence. This is also worn by many for good health. However apart from all these uses, onyx is also known to be used for home décor. In fact like other natural stones, namely marble and granite, onyx too can play a decisive role in enhancing the value of the house.

Onyx was used by both the Greeks and the Romans. In Greek the word is used to mean nail of claw. Black onyx is common and the stone is mainly used in jewelleries. Although for many, black is the color of dark, obscure things, it is used to enhance the beauty of a design in jewelry. Reddish brown and white onyx is known as sardonyx. This was used by the Romans for seals. It is said that most famous Roman generals used sardonyx as they believed that this stone has powerful qualities which would help them in everyday dealings. Black onyx has an amazing luster and a kind of shimmer if they are added to the background.

This stone can be combined with any other stones for backdrops. The flawless surfaces along with its nice and smooth texture help the cutters to shape the stone without much difficulty. These are mostly used in production of lapidaries. Rubies are perfect matches for onyx. This is also popular among the interior designers. It is rare compared to other natural stones. No wonder, this is expensive compared to other natural stones. Along with lapis lazuli and alabaster, onyx is also rare in the market.

Three things make this natural stone different from other natural stones. They are the natural pattern, color and translucency. It is translucency which makes it popular for interior designs. This stone is polished to bring out this quality. Some of the common colors include green, pink, and brown. The most popular ones come in shades of white and honey. The honey shade is a combination of white onyx with iron oxides. Honey onyx comes from Turkey, while it is Persia which is the largest producer of white onyx.

One can decipher a number of intricate designs on natural onyx. There are three dimensional patterns. Yellow or brown onyx are commonly used for back lit panels. The restaurants and bars use this for their interiors. If it is a well-lit room, one can easily notice the panels. Onyx can also be used for bar stands, lamp stands and table tops, window sills and risers in stairs. You will love to have wall cladding made of onyx. This looks like marble, but the luster and color are different. Moreover it is the smooth texture which makes it all the more favorable for the stained glass windows and wall panels. The translucent material adds warmth to the designs.