Featuring: Black Onyx

I love black onyx, and use all shapes and sizes of black onyx beads in my jewelry. My favorites, though, are the square beads and the rondelles. 

(A rondelle is a round bead--not a ball, but a flattened round--that is drilled from the side.)

Onyx is a very dense black, and the beads I use have a great shine to them.

Here's a simple, classic pair of earrings that showcases the square onyx beads: 

A New Classic in Black Onyx

I combined the same onyx squares with some vintage bakelite buttons in this bracelet:

Happy Bakelite Bracelet

This 60-inch one-of-a-kind necklace has sections of black onyx beads in various shapes--square, round, rondelles, and oval--with sections of delicate sterling silver chain in between and two sterling puzzle pieces. It closes with a toggle clasp.

Puzzling Black Onyx Necklace

Here's another one-of-a-kind piece. I made the choker-length strand with sterling silver wire and small onyx beads. The second strand holds a group of three vintage charms. See:

Faith, Hope, and Charity Necklace

@ Jeanne Sather 2009.