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Onyx stone meaning and properties

Onyx is the stone of contrast in the traditions: black and white bands that evoke the distance between people.

  • Contrast
  • Grounding
  • Distance
The essentials

Onyx at a glance

For you, a black stone that evokes the line you hold and the right distance to keep when needed.

A question to ask yourself

Where would you need to set a limit, calmly and without hardening anything?

Something to watch

A sudden change in temperature can crack it: no direct heat source.

Color
black, white
Associated intentions
grounding, protection
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What it evokes

In modern readings, onyx evokes grounding and protection: it is given the image of a dark, steady stone, which would remind you to keep your distance from what stirs things up.

The ancients read something else in it. Pliny describes the onyx of Arabia, black with white zones, and links its name to that of the sardonyx. Kunz reports, after Cardan, that onyx worn at the neck would cool the ardors of love, and that it was said to sow discord, perhaps because of the contrast of its black and white layers.

Today it is therefore worn as a reminder to set limits.

The traditions

  1. Rome, 1st century

    Pliny discusses onyx because of its name, part of that of the sardonyx, and notes that this name, first given to a marble of Carmania, became that of a stone. He reports that the onyx of Arabia is black, with white zones, and that the Indian onyx shows other colors.

    Pliny the Elder, Natural History, XXXVII, 24 (Littré translation)
  2. 16th century

    According to Kunz, onyx worn at the neck would cool the ardors of love, and Cardan says it was worn that way throughout India. He adds that common belief credited it with provoking discord and separating lovers, the alternation of black and white layers having perhaps suggested this idea.

    Kunz (1913), The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, citing Cardan
  3. Ancient lists of month stones

    In Kunz’s comparative table, onyx is the stone of July in the Jewish, Roman, and Isidore of Seville lists, while the Arabic list gives carnelian for that month. It does not appear in the 1912 list.

    G. F. Kunz (1913), comparative table of eight ancient lists

A gestureWear it as a ring or a bracelet of black beads, or keep it on your desk, as a reminder to set your limits calmly.

No stone has a proven effect on health: if you have a health concern, see a health professional.

Its profile

Type
Black chalcedony, or chalcedony banded black and white
Family
Mineral
Composition
SiO2
Mohs hardness
6.5–7 out of 10
Colors
black, white
Common treatments
black onyx on the market is almost always dyed chalcedony

Caring for it without damaging it

  • WaterYesA quick rinse in warm soapy water, then drying, does not damage it.
  • SaltYesMohs hardness 6.5–7: harder than salt (2.5), it can handle brief contact; rinse afterward.
  • SunYesNo known fading in daylight.
  • HeatAvoidA sudden change in temperature can crack it: no direct heat source.
  • Scratches and knocksResistantMohs hardness 6.5–7: it resists everyday scratches, but not sharp knocks.

Cleansing and charging without damage
Cleansing a crystal: the reported methods
Charging a crystal: moon, flower of life

Nuances and sources

The name onyx in principle designates an agate with black and white bands; common usage extends it to any plain black chalcedony. Its chakra and signs vary by book.

Onyx: your questions

Is black onyx natural?

Almost never. A black, very uniform stone from the trade is most often a chalcedony or an agate dyed black, a common process. According to Wikipedia, the color of chalcedony sold is often enhanced by dyeing or heating. A natural banded onyx, black and white, is rarer.

Onyx, black obsidian, and black tourmaline: are they the same?

No. Onyx is a chalcedony, that is, microcrystalline quartz. Black obsidian is a volcanic glass with no crystals. Black tourmaline is yet another mineral. These three black stones have different hardnesses, fractures, and uses: always ask for the exact name.

Is onyx fragile?

It resists scratches well, but a sharp knock can chip it. Lukewarm, slightly soapy water and a soft cloth are enough. Avoid strong heat, which can change its tint, and store it separately.

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