Gemstone Details:

Onyx is a sub-variety of Quartz in the Chalcedony family.  Often known as the opaque black gemstone, Onyx is also marbled with horizontal bandings often with black and browns, White Onyx is also a type in this family.  Often stained to change the colors of the natural stones, many varieties of Onyx in the market are an emerald green color.  To the untrained eye, this stone can be mistaken as an Emerald just by it's color.  Onyx is a natural stone found in nature, colors are sometimes altered to give the stone a better appearance.  With a mineral hardness of a 6 1/2, it is worn in all types of jewelry.