August fused glass Sardonyx. August’s second birthstone is Sardonyx. This blog is regarding my fused glass Sardonyx. For the fused glass birthstone version of Augusts’ “Sardonyx” I combined, red, brown and white glass together to create the lines.
According to my research including American Gem Society, Sardonyx is derived from the Greek ‘sard’, meaning “reddish-brown”, and ‘onux’, meaning “fingernail”. Sardonyx is a form of onyx and is recognized by its layers of reddish brown and white banding. Sardonyx is a stone, which has been highly valued since ancient times. It was popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans who carried into battle talismans of sardonyx engraved with images of heroes such as Mars or Hercules, bringing courage and victory. While the Greeks considered this stone to be protective against danger as well as a source of courage, the Romans considered Sardonyx to bring them honor, courage, wealth and success.
This gemstone is found throughout the world. Almost all Sardonyx in the market has been dyed to increase color depth. Sardonyx is rated at 6.5 to 7 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness.
It is believed Sardonyx have special properties:
· Powers to focus the mind and end negative thinking.
· To help marriages and relationships be successful and happy.
· Guard against plagues, reptile, and insect bites.
· Helps provide a good night’s sleep and a positive influence on the heart, blood vessels, nerves, kidneys, hair and nails.
How to Care for Sardonyx
Sardonyx is best cleaned using warm soapy water and a soft brush. As with most gemstones, Sardonyx should be kept away from prolonged exposure to extremes of heat and household chemicals that can damage the stone. Sardonyx can chip or scratch relatively easily so it should be stored in a fabric-lined box away from other jewelry items.
As I mentioned in the initial newsletter discussing fused glass birthstones there are many advantages of fused glass over typical gemstones is Fused Glass is less expensive, more durable (than some birthstones), and can be bigger than typical gemstones. Fused Glass faux birthstones can also be made into other items besides jewelry i.e., wine stopper, purse hanger, key chain, etc.
Keeping my Kiln Warm,
Karen
