Best Shop

Using Carnelian in Today’s Fashion Jewelry

Carnelian is a translucent, semiprecious variety of the silica mineral chalcedony that owes its red to reddish brown color to colloidally dispersed hematite (iron oxide). It is a close relative of sard, differing only in the shade of red. It has a specific gravity of about 2.7 and a hardness of about 7. As a form of quartz, this gemstone is found almost world-wide. Having the same chemical make up as Agate, when Carnelian grades into brown it is known as Sard. When it contains bands of white, it is known as Sardonyx. In addition, some very dark brown Carnelian can be classified as Jasper.

The distinction between these is very fine and relies more on visual appearance than scientific analysis. As a result, it is very possible that one man’s Carnelian may be another man’s Sard, Agate or Jasper. Chemically, Carnelian is composed of Silicon Dioxide, SiO2, and gets its red color from Hematite (Iron-Oxide, FeO2) impurities. Carnelian has been known since antiquity. It is said to take its name from the Kornel cherry, which has the same rich coloring. In the 1660s, Dr Johann Schroeder gave another interesting origin. He writes: “It is a half transparent, like the water wherein flesh is washed, of like bloody flesh. Hence it is called ‘Carneolus’ or ‘Carnelian’.” Some of the largest finds have been reported in Brazil, Uruguay, India and Japan. Smaller finds have been reported on Texas, Colorado, and Florida. The color and relatively low cost of carnelian makes it a popular gemstone for fashion jewelry such as silver pendants and necklaces.

Bursting with warm earthly colors, carnelian is a gentle stone that inspires one to identify their unique personal strengths and courage to live life to the fullest. It is typically prepared with a cabochon cut (a smooth rounded cut) in order to bring out the natural elegance and color patterns of the stone. Stone beads made with carnelian are found in a beautiful mix of natural exquisiteness and fine handcrafting. As these beads are carved, extreme care is crucial to ensure that its beauty would be intact. There is a small amount of iron oxide in it and due to that, the beads which are made from it have a reddish color. In some cases, beads are subjected to a facet-cut in order to promote sparkle in the gemstone. Carnelian is sometimes heat-treated in order to enhance its color. In some cases, the beads are also dyed in order to modify the stone color.

Among the New Age community, believers revere Carnelian’s mental grounding power and believe this is the source of its greatest mental effects. They say it teaches one to focus on the present for the moments in life when all one’s mental powers are necessary for success at a single, important task and is a source of confidence, eloquence and inspiration. This stone has been mentioned in Arabic, Hebrew, and Roman folklore. These civilizations believed that it protected the wearer in the after-life, and from evil spirits. Ancient Egyptians in particular believed that items made of this stone should be buried along with the corpse in order to protect the corpse in the afterlife. Carved carnelian necklaces were found with several mummies in Egypt. This stone has also been popular with European and Asian civilizations. Folklore suggests that carnelian was used protect the traveler after death and guard against evil. Carnelian’s healing properties are thought to help purify the blood, relieve menstrual cramps and back pain. It is also thought to be beneficial in the treatment of infertility and is worn to enhance passion and desire.

Using Carnelian in Today’s Fashion Jewelry / Author: Dale Arnold

bookmark: