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onyx - the fingernails of venus

onyx...marble, agate?
"Onyx" like so many other gem and mineral names has been misapplied and misunderstood for so long that the true meaning is seldom recognized.

onyx marble advertised as "white onyx"

Very little natural black onyx is available and nearly all 'black onyx' used in jewelry is actually agate (chalcedony) a highly porous stone that is color enhanced (heated and dyed) to change its color or increase it's depth of color.
And, the onyx one sees carved into decorative objects is actually onyx marble, a calcite limestone variety from Mexico that can also be dyed a wide range of colors. It softness and low cost makes it an ideal carving medium.

symbolic attributes

miscellaneous
anniversary 7th
metaphysical
astrological gem Leo
energy projective / yang
planet Mars, Saturn
element air, fire