The Obsidian attractive deep black colour of the stone suits a lot of designs and styles today. It got its name from a Roman Obsius. He was the first European to find this volcanic glass in Ethiopia. When the Spaniards entered the Mayan lands for the first time, old civilisation took them by surprise. It seemed better when it came to their crafts. The Mayan technology used the ore for various tasks, among them as volcanic glass for trade. It dates back as far as 100 years BC as one of the most precious stone. Although it could easily be found lying off the surface, it was precious, thanks to its high value. What humans consider as precious metals currently could never match the stone’s value in the Mayan society.
The stone can produce fragments of rock that have very sharp edges. The edges are so sharp that it is used for surgical purposes today. In old Mexican culture, they called the stone “Itzli.” This means the god of rock. They made weapons of war using the volcanic glass. Similarly, they made cuttings tools for use in everyday life.
During the medieval history, natural stones played a key role in jewellery making and rituals. Today, it is widely believed to be a protective stone. It protects against negative energy. Because it is sharp, many believe that it penetrates the darkness. Its penetration into darkness reveals the truth.
For thousands of years, it is cut and shaped. It has and is still in use in every culture of the world. The Mayan prophets used the shiny edge of the stone as mirrors to foretell the future. The volcanic glass has been converted into mirrors, daggers, swords, plates and ornaments of different sorts. Likewise, it still bears an essential symbolism for war in Mesoamerican culture. Its mysterious black colour makes it a common charm for protection.
Physical Characteristics
The stone is an igneous rock, excavated like other minerals. It forms when molten rock material cools so fast that atoms are unable to arrange themselves into a crystalline shape. In most cases, it solidifies above the earth’s surface. As a result, it is an extrusive rock. The black is naturally black, with different shades basing on the surroundings. However, it can also be brown, green or tan. The volcanic glass can be red, orange, blue or yellow on rare occasions. Trace elements or inclusion create these unique colours. On certain circumstances, two colours combine to form a single mineral. The most common colour combination is black and brown. These two colours create the stone’s mahogany feature.
This volcanic glass is chemically unstable. With time, the stone begins to crystallise. This process does not happen at the same rate throughout the rock. It begins at different locations within the rock. As a result, it forms the snowflake version. Here, white flakes similar in appearance to snowflakes; fill the surface of the rock. On rare occasions, the rock has a metallic brightness. This is caused by light reflecting from small inclusions of minerals crystal, rock remains or debris. These make the rainbow version, golden version and the silver version. Their creation and naming depend on the colour of the shine. The metallic brightness makes the stones desirable for the manufacture of jewellery.
Many locations worldwide have these types of rocks. However, it is limited to areas with recent volcanic activity. It is rare to find such rocks that have existed for a few million years. They are found in countries like Argentina, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Russia and the United States among many others. Most of the rocks used in jewellery trade come from the United States.
The Stone’s Healing Properties
Its intrinsic meaning links the idea of darkness. However, the human soul also contains an element of dark and light. The stone is considered powerful for protection purposes. It helps to identify a person’s dark side. Once identified, the healing properties of the stone remove it from your soul. It is common to hide from our inner self. However, the volcanic glass shines a light on the negativity and removes it. This helps in litho therapy; a path towards light and love.
Add the stone into your daily meditation practice. Sit quietly with the stone for 20 minutes. This helps to find any negativity inside your head. The healing properties of the stone will get rid of the negativity. It will leave you feeling light, refreshed and in control of your destiny.
They have a stabilising and grounding effect. This makes it excellent for controlling scattered energy. Sometimes you feel spread too thin. Hold a stone in each hand and feel it restoring harmony to your rest chakra. When you wear its jewellery, you can take on the day with renewed confidence. It is a stylish way to have a constant flow of its tough and strong energy.
When you lose your head in the clouds, it causes unwelcome side effects, including procrastination. Using the stone restores a harmonious balance between your spiritual self and the reality. It helps to keep your eyes on the stars and feet firmly planted on the ground.
Meditate with the stone daily. Look at the stone with peaceful thinking and ask it to give you clarity. Focus by bringing any negativity to the surface. It helps to cut through self-deception. It encourages the body to embrace the healing process.
What should you look for when buying jewellery made from Obsidian?
The gemstones vary significantly in their carat weight. They are found in substantial sizes up to hundreds of carats. It is moderately heavy for its size. A 1.00 carat oval stone in most cases has dimensions of around 2”*1.5”*0.5”. It can cost hundreds of dollars depending on its shape, clarity and cut. Pieces as large as 8-10 inches can be cut and sold.
Choosing natural stones jewellery is a matter of personal preferences. It depends on what size, shape and carat weight you are looking for. Similarly, the polished and refraction levels determine the type of natural stone jewellery that you pick. Some small differences are depending on whether you want some colouration or not. You can also choose how shiny you want it to look. For example, the snowflake version is less bright.
The stone can create all types of jewellery. It can range from rings, pendants, bracelets, earrings, necklaces and piercings. Because of its neutral colour, it is a unisex stone, suitable for both males and females. For men, it makes for excellent engagement or wedding ring stones. Furthermore, it can make cufflinks and other similar accessories. For women, it is perfect for large statement pieces of jewellery. In addition, even small pieces of the stone’s black shade stand out.
You should clean the stones and jewellery made from a lot made from the stone with care. Wash them with hot water and mild soaps. Avoid chemical soaps. Wash the jewellery and stones with a soft cloth. Metal brushes can easily scratch its surface. Remove the pieces during high impact activities like sports and household duties. When storing them, keep it away from diamonds and other hard stones. These can scratch the surfaces.
Can black shade gemstones be enhanced or imitated?
The primary standard way to enhance the gemstone is by polishing it well. However, when polished well, it can be mistaken for other gemstones. When they are cleaned well, Jet and Onyx both take the gemstone’s black shade. The main difference is the process of formation for each gem. A professional can tell the difference between these, especially with a microscope.
Jet is not a mineral. In most cases, it lacks the crystalline shape that is common. However, jet is a type of coal. It falls into the category of organic gemstones. It forms from pieces of wood that were buried in the remains. As a result, it is different in touch. It is also lighter and softer than the black theme. Jet has a MOHS hardness of 2.5 to 4. However, the black theme has the MOHS hardness of 5.5. When the jet is polished well enough and put on a jewellery piece, it can be mistaken for a black version.
On the other hand, Onyx is denser and heavier. The Onyx is a mineral. It has a crystalline form. In some cases, it has a slightly dull finish. However, when polished well, the Onyx looks quite glassy. It can easily be mistaken for black version. Generally, Onyx is more valuable than the gemstone. In some cases, the black stone version has translucence to it. For some of the Onyx crystals, they have a white, grey or black band.