Onyx Rings - Black Beauties

Onyx rings have a stark beauty that few other pieces of jewelry can match. Somehow, colors always seem sharper when set against a dark contrast. An onyx ring provides this contrast through the black stone it uses as a centerpiece. Onyx has been admired since ancient times for its smooth elegance and bold audacity. This perceived symbolism is one of the reasons why men's onyx rings are so popular. Not all onyx rings use pure black stones. Many have amazing contour lines of different color which run through them. These can be used by clever jewelers to craft truly exceptional pieces of jewelry. An onyx ring makes a wonderful gift, especially for that special man in your life. Before you go shopping for one, make sure that you know something about what differentiates high quality onyx rings from petty baubles.

Any onyx ring worth buying will feature an incredible and bold onyx gemstone as its centerpiece. This means that finding a high quality onyx ring relies upon your ability to understand what makes this gemstone unique and incredible.

Onyx is actually a form of quartz, and has similar physical properties like hardness and durability. Quality onyx is pretty hard, and is not likely to be damaged providing you take care not to introduce the ring to physical or chemical harm.

The onyx family of stones is actually quite large, and encompasses many that are not even black. Many are white, grey, or a fleshy tan color. This is one of the reasons why the ancient Greeks, who named onyx, often associated it with nails.

When looking into onyx rings, you're sure to find mostly ones with stark and bold black centerpieces. This is because the common conception of onyx and the actually minerology differ quite a bit. Jewelers tend to favor the popular notions of the stone rather than what's technical textbook truth. This is why the black onyx ring is the most common and popular variety in this category.

When looking into onyx rings, focus on the two fundamental components of the ring first - the onyx itself and the precious metal band used to display this natural beauty.

The best onyx rings will feature onyx stones that are smooth and bold. If other color bands are present, they shoud add to the overall feel of the jewelry piece, and not distract from the aesthetic. Remember that bigger isn't better - some of the best onyx rings feature small but amazing gemstones.

The band material used to set the onyx will play a remarkable role in determining the look of the ring. Silver and gold are the two most commonly chosen materials used for this gemstone, because the contrast created with either is nothing short of brilliant. A silver onyx ring offsets the light tones of this metal with the black beauty of the centerpiece gemstone. This same feeling can be created using white gold if you desire something a bit more valuable. A yellow gold onyx ring is another amazingly beautiful piece. Yellow gold is more often used for men's onyx rings than for women's.

Another thing to consider when trying to find a great onyx ring is whether or not you want to have any other accentuating gemstones. Because of the stark black hues of onyx, most of the time this means a dazzling colorless gemstone like cubic zirconia or diamonds. Moissanite is rarely, if ever, used with onyx, but it's only a matter of time before this combination will be available. A diamond accentuating onyx ring is incredibly alluring, and makes a great heirloom or anniversary gift.

Because of their bold appearance and stark elegance, many men are drawn to the power of onyx rings. Men's onyx rings tend to have wider bands and more often use stones which are set into the band. This can be accentuated with diamonds or other gemstones as desired - men like beauty just as much as women do. The symbolic strength of this kind of jewelry makes men's onyx rings one of the most popular gift choices for men of all ages.