A strand of approximately 38 cm of faceted green onyx rondelles, in a dense, even fir green. The facets, crisp and regular, let the light play across a translucent edge, like polished bottle glass.

Features:

• Stone: green onyx (naturally dyed and heated chalcedony)
• Shape: faceted rondelle
• Size: approximately 4 mm in diameter
• Thickness: approximately 2.5 mm
• Hole: approximately 0.8 mm
• Strand length: approximately 38 cm
• Quantity: approximately 166 beads per strand
• Color: deep green

Their size fits anywhere: necklace strand, elastic or strung bracelet, spacers between larger beads, earrings drops. Green pairs especially well with gold and with the warm tones of mother-of-pearl or garnet. For a smaller quantity, these same beads are available in a lot of 20.

A bit of gemology: onyx is a variety of chalcedony, a microcrystalline quartz (SiO₂) formed from an interweaving of quartz fibers invisible to the naked eye. Hardness of 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, density of approximately 2.6, conchoidal fracture: it is a hard and tough material, perfectly suited to everyday wear. Its slight porosity allows it to absorb dye deeply, a practice already described by Pliny the Elder in connection with Roman agates. The name comes from the Greek onux, “nail,” in reference to the white-banded chalcedonies whose color it evoked.

To know: the green color of these beads is not natural. The chalcedony is dyed, then heated to fix and even out the shade; this is the case for nearly all green onyx on the market. The color is stable in wear; simply avoid prolonged baths, solvents, and alcohol.

In lithotherapy: green onyx is associated with the heart chakra; it is attributed virtues of balance, self-control, and calm energy.

Natural product: size, shape, shade, and number of beads may vary slightly from one strand to another. Dimensions and quantities are given as an indication.