Description of artificial onyx
Artificial onyx has a large palette of shades.
Made from synthetic components. It is similar to natural stone, but surpasses it in texture due to its depth and translucency.
Architects and designers value polymer for:
- realistic imitation of natural stone;
- variety of colors and textures;
- possibility of illumination.
Physical properties
The two types of onyx differ radically in properties.
| Properties of stones | Onyx chalcedony | Onyx marble |
| Transparency | Translucent, opaque | Translucent |
| Shine | Glass, bold | Glass |
| Hardness | 6,5-7 | 2,5-3 |
| Kink | Conchoidal | Stepped |
| Strength | Fragile | Fragile |
| Density | 2.6 | 2.5 |
| Crystal shape | Tetrahedron | Rhombohedron |
The main difference is that marble onyx boils when interacting with heated hydrochloric acid.
A sharp piece of copper leaves scratches on it. Chalcedony gem is neutral to the effects of HCl, soluble in alkalis and hydrofluoric acid. Copper will not cause any damage to it. On the contrary, it will scratch the glass itself, and it can only be processed with diamond tools.
Moreover, both minerals are moisture and frost resistant.
Other Applications
Synthetic onyx is widely used in construction. It is used for interior and exterior decoration of premises, decorating living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, verandas, stairs, swimming pools.
Goes well with wood, wallpaper, plaster, stucco. Stone slabs delimit recreation areas. Using backlighting, additional lighting is created.
Popular composite products:
- countertops;
- baths, washbasins;
- window sills;
- facing tiles;
- ritual monuments, tombstones;
- fireplaces;
- window and door stained glass;
- panels for room structures, bar counters.
Walls and countertops made of artificial onyx.
Who is suitable by zodiac sign and name
The color variety of the mineral ensures excellent compatibility of onyx and zodiac signs of different elements. Each type complements the zodiac characteristics and strengthens the connection between a person’s internal energy and the outside world. The following table shows information about who a particular type of mineral is suitable for according to their zodiac sign, and how it affects the person.
| Zodiac sign | Suitable mineral | How does it affect |
| Aries | Red | Helps make informed decisions, reduces the intensity of negative emotions, improves communication skills. |
| Taurus | Sardonyx | It will improve their sphere of interpersonal interaction and strengthen their self-esteem. It will also show the path in your personal and professional life. |
| Twins | Sardonyx | It will help you gain emotional stability, decide on your professional field, and learn to master your creative and leadership abilities. |
| Cancer | Blue | Natural inertia, shyness and indecisiveness will become less pronounced by strengthening leadership qualities and a sense of self-confidence. |
| Virgo | Chalcedony | Will bring harmony to internal and external psychological relationships. Will guide you to correct mistakes and protect you from making new ones. |
| a lion | Black | Strengthens leadership qualities and imparts oratorical abilities. Increases self-confidence and gives the ability to manage emotions. |
| Scales | Blue | Doubting Libras will gain the ability to act quickly and decisively, and will also become more sociable. |
| Scorpion | Carnelian | Helps you cope with problems during difficult emotional periods. It will also become an assistant in strengthening family ties. |
| Sagittarius | Black | Protects from the influence of ill-wishers, increases the sense of self-worth and directs a person’s bright abilities in the right direction. |
| Capricorn | Black | It will make them more loyal to the opinions of their loved ones and at the same time strengthen the professional and personal positions of Capricorns. |
| Aquarius | White | The innate sense of freedom and defiance transforms into independence and the ability to become a reliable friend and partner. |
| Fish | Chalcedony | It will land Pisces dreaming and flying in the clouds. Will become an assistant in performing practical, everyday tasks. It will help to establish relationships with old acquaintances and strengthen connections with distant relatives. |
Although it goes with all zodiac signs, it is best suited for:
- Aries;
- Cancer;
- Aquarius.
Onyx goes well with names that have a variety of meanings. It will protect and treat its owner in case of characterological and zodiac compatibility. There are several female names with which he enters into a strong relationship:
- Anastasia;
- Zhanna;
- Love;
- Darina;
- Caroline;
- Ksenia;
- Adeline;
- Violet;
- Svetlana;
- Catherine;
- Nina.
Male names that are associated with the stone:
- Alexei;
- Dmitriy;
- Nikolai;
- Dragomir;
- Makar;
- Plato;
- Sergey;
- Svyatoslav;
- Michael;
- Hermann;
- Ivan;
- Vadim.
How to distinguish natural stone from fake
Onyx is rarely counterfeited. Sometimes the mineral is treated with various chemical compounds.
You can determine the authenticity of a stone by knowing its characteristics and basic properties.
Recommended:
- Purchase products in specialized stores.
- Before purchasing, read the quality certificates.
Brightness of color
Coloring pigments introduced into polymers are sensitive to external factors: water, light, fat. Therefore, the material quickly loses its brightness and becomes cloudy.
Features of natural stone:
- there is no black color;
- does not change color over time;
- has stripes.
Material colors.
Price
Onyx is a semi-precious stone. The price of jewelry and souvenirs made from it is low. The most expensive is the white mineral. Fakes are often made from marble (green).
The cost of the product is affected by:
- weight;
- pattern;
- hue saturation;
- design and complexity of product processing.
Pattern and structure
The imitation has faded, blurry veins or overly clear, as if painted. The original is characterized by a unique pattern - a combination of straight and curved lines. If you run a needle over natural stone, there will be no scratches on the surface.
Transparency
Thanks to the ability of natural onyx to transmit light, the veins on its surface are visible to a depth of 3-4 cm.
The simulated material has a dense structure. The drawing is visible only on the surface.
Product weight
To determine the authenticity of the material, it is enough to hold it in your hands. Natural stone is heavy. Counterfeits are light in weight. They are most often made from agate, jade and plastic.
The magical properties of black onyx
Well, we found out what onyx looks like, we examined the main characteristics, it’s time to look at the mineral in the context of its magical properties, because the stone is not simple and has a complex history.
Let's start with the name itself. Most etymologists are inclined to think that onyx translated from Greek means nail, and to be more precise, the nail of the goddess of love herself, Aphrodite. The prankster Eros, aka Cupid, cut them off from his sleeping mother, and that’s how they ended up with people.
This is precisely what can explain that the black stone has become a symbol of love, a talisman of marital ties and a talisman of fidelity. The ancients believed: in a house in which there is onyx, fun does not subside.
But it is also a biblical symbol. Even if we forget the fact that striped agate is included in the list of twelve stones of the high priest, that is, it decorated the breastplate, we can recall the Temple of Jerusalem, where onyx decoration was also present, as well as the dwelling of King Solomon, whose translucent mineral served as “glass” for the windows.
They didn’t forget to mention the mineral in the Bible itself, so in the book of Genesis you can read the following lines:
A river came out of Eden to water Paradise; and then divided into four rivers. The name of one is Pison: it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; and the gold of that land is good; there is bdellium and onyx .
But, we move further, namely to the Muslim city of Kaaba, there, of course, there are no Orthodox churches, but the admirers of the prophet did not stray far from biblical traditions and mounted a block of black onyx into the wall of their mosque.
You will never guess what all this is about, and what relation natural onyx may have to religion. Yes, absolutely none!
But he is very good at oratory. Having secured stone doping, the holy fathers, high priests and prophets could really ignite their flock with their words to exploits.
But the talents of onyx don’t end there, because it is also called the stone of dogs! Like a devoted dog, the mineral protects its owner from damage and the evil eye. Absorbs all the negative energy directed at him, and at the same time expels the worm of vengeance from the soul.
Well, one more little thing: the onyx amulet protects against accidental death, which means that for the driver it is generally an irreplaceable thing.
The exceptional healing properties of the stone are also admired. The mineral has a beneficial effect on the digestive system and even helps against obesity, but this scourge of the twenty-first century is not so easy to cope with.
In addition, onyx calms the nervous system, normalizes blood pressure and relieves a person of phobias. Quite a bit like semi-jewelry, right?
Additional Information
Proper and timely care ensures longevity of products.
Basic recommendations:
- You should not use abrasive detergents for cleaning, because... aggressive components destroy the structure of the coating. It is better to use liquids containing chlorine and natural substances: lemon juice, mustard powder, a weak solution of vinegar, toothpaste.
- Red wine and coffee stains must be removed immediately.
- After cleaning the bathtub and sink, the surfaces should be rinsed generously with water and wiped thoroughly.
- The material should be protected from impacts and hot objects.
Defects (scratches, chips, cracks) can be eliminated using special compounds. The product is applied to the damaged areas in a thin layer and left until dry.
Varieties of onyx by color
Nature has created many colors of this stone.
Minerologists distinguish the following types of onyx:
- Ordinary. This uniform stone comes in 1 color (grey, blue, beige, pink, purple or yellow). The stripes on it are the same colors, but look a little darker or lighter.
- 3-color. It combines brown, white, blue tones.
- Sardonyx. This species includes red-brown, orange-red, white-brown shades.
- Marble. It is mostly green in color with stripes of varying colors and thicknesses.
- Carnelian The stone is painted red, and its pattern looks like white stripes.
- Clean. This is a white onyx of a milky or pinkish hue with “rusty” stripes and cracks.
- Chalcedony. Gray-white striped stone.
- Arab. This is the most valuable type of mineral. It has a rich black color, white inclusions, and stripes.
Types of mineral.
Rules for purchasing and caring for onyx products
Natural glassy stone is quite durable, strong, and does not lose its properties when stored in any environment. It is enough to wash it from dirt with soapy water and hold it for a while under running water - it will restore its strength without losing its beauty and shine.
Experts say that it is better to buy products made from this stone on the 5th day of the lunar cycle, and start wearing jewelry from it on the 19th. For sardonyx, the same recommendations are 24-1 and 10 days. Carnelian is bought on the third day and worn from the 17th day.
For those who are not interested in the magical properties of stones and amulets, you can buy colored varieties in the form of small inserts in jewelry, wear them for any occasion and wear them for pleasure on any day.
