Onyx and Blackstone

The gorgeous black stones featured in this category include the minerals of Onyx and Blackstone. Dry Gulch carries many cuts and shapes of these semi-precious stones in bead form - use them in your next project for a dash of classic beauty!

Onyx is the term given for any form of Chalcedony that is either a solid black color or a banded black-and-white color. Black agates with white bands are distinct from Onyx in that they have curved or non-parallel stripes - Onyx only has parallel bands. Onyx is sometimes considered a precious gem, and it is especially prized by gem carving artists in the creation of cameos. Most Onyx on the market today has been treated or dyed to enhance the black color and make the color uniform throughout the stone. Onyx is found all over the world including the USA, India, Brazil, Germany and China. Fun fact, Sardonyx is Onyx that is brown and white, and Carnelian is Onyx that is orange and white!
 
Blackstone is a term that is generally used for any black colored stone that is either unidentifiable or a form of black jasper. It usually isn't as shiny as Onyx, but rather more satin in finish, and can be carved into unique shapes. Most times it is jasper or chalcedony, and may occasionally have inclusions of cream or brown. Because the name Blackstone can encompass any stone that is dark, Blackstone comes from all over the world.

Fun Fact: Sardonyx is the brown version of Onyx, which is when iron impurites enter the mineral to turn it a brown color.  Sard, which refers to the iron impurites that create the brown color, is a reddish-brown mineral.  Sardonyx is almost always reddish brown with parallel white or cream bands.