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Carnelian

Carnelian beaded gemstone jewelry by John S. Brana - Distinctive Jewelry. Collections include Earrings, Bracelets, and Necklaces set with Carnelian.

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14 Item(s) Show per page
View as: Grid  List  Sort by Set Descending Direction

What Exactly Is Carnelian?


Carnelian is recognized and used as a precious gem but it is actually a part of the silica mineral or quartz family called chalcedony. The iron oxide in the stone is what is responsible fro the variation in color from red to brownish red. Quartz is probably the most abundant mineral around as it is found in about 12 percent of the earth's surface.

There is a way to determine the density and hardness of stones and minerals called The Mohs Scale. You can see how solid and hard a stone is based on the scale of one to ten with ten being the hardest. Carnelians rank seven on The Mohs Scale and as a result of their makeup, they are used to carve out cameos.

Carnelians are found in Australia, South Africa, Madagascar, Brazil, Russia and the United States. It has been found that carnelians are similar to sard which is also part of the silica mineral family.

In Egyptian times, carnelian was used to make signet rings and also to hold wax to seal letters. The carnelian was perfect for this use as the wax did not stick to the stone. Today carnelian is used in making bracelets, pendants, rings and other fine pieces of jewelry.

According to the Zodiac birthstones, carnelian is the birthstone for Virgo. Today the stone is heated to bring out the beauty of its reddish color. The carnelian stone is recognized by spiritual leaders for its healing benefits mentally and physically.

If you were born under the sign of Virgo (from August 24 to September 22) then you have a powerful and vibrant stone to wear as part of your birthstone jewelry. If it is not, you may still be interested in the beautiful rings, cameos, earrings or pendants that feature the intense reddish brown stone known as carnelian.


Other Handcrafted Gemstone Jewelry
Abalone African Opal Amazonite
Amber Amethyst Apatite
Aquamarine Blue Topaz Carnelian
Chalk Turquoise Chrysoprase Citrine
Coral Crystal Quartz Dendritic Quartz
Freshwater Pearls Garnets Green Gold Quartz
Jade Lepidochrosite Onyx
Peridot Prehnite Serpentine
Smoky Quartz    


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