Decorative Onyx Centerpiece L 46cm

Natural onyx bowl. Length 46cm, width 23cm. Handcrafted in Italy from Natural Onyx with a polished finish.

The charm of natural stone with its unique veining, combined with impeccable craftsmanship, makes each object unique and unrepeatable. Versatile and refined, this bowl fits easily into a wide variety of settings, from classic to modern. A gift idea, favor for important occasions, collector’s item or simple decorative item, it will be able to add a touch of elegance and luxury to any room in the home.

THE MATERIAL.

The term “onyx” is used to refer to two distinct rock families: siliceous onyx (black in hue with white streaks) and calcareous onyx (or alabastrite, available in different colors). Mineralogically, it is classified as a variety of chalcedony, that is, quartz in compact microcrystalline masses, the color of which varies from opaque to semi-opaque. It is a fine and delicate material at the same time, translucent, very compact and also backlit.

Due to itswide color variety and its own hardness and brightness, onyx is used in different environments and for different purposes.

In addition to its widespread use in crystal therapy, on a practical level it is used for the creation of backlit furniture elements that give harmony and brightness to the ‘environment, but also for the creation of floors and walls (especially in the bathroom area),design objects and precious jewelry.

Volcano Onyx is a clouded onyx with large areas of dark and light honey brown alternating with lighter lines and veins. Light-colored veins are normally transparent to light. The main characteristic of onyxes is the veined texture. The surface has surface cracking lines that are to be considered solely and exclusively a specific characteristic of this type of marble.

SYMBOLOGY

According to legend, this gem was created when Cupid cut the nails of sleeping Venus and left them scattered on the floor. Because the parts of a divine creature are not mortal, the deities turned them into a gemstone, which was later called Onyx.

The Latins, on the other hand, renamed onyx “marmor alabastrum” in reference to the Alabastra fortress of Thebes, an area on the central periphery of Greece particularly rich in quarries. In ancient Rome, this stone was widely used for glyptics (the art of carving) since, thanks to the different layers of color from which it is composed, clear reliefs were obtained that were clearly visible against the dark background: just think of the many cameos made from onyx that have come down to us.