Black Onyx, Tourmalated Quartz, and Herkimer Diamond Sterling Silver Pendant

 Onyx is a layered silicate stone that belongs to the chalcedony group.  Although agates and onyxes both have banding, the onyx stone has parallel bands of layers instead of the curved bands found in agates.  Derived from the Latin word onyx which means claw or fingernail due to the shapes of the bands in the mineral, onyx can come in many colors including green, pink, brown, red, or even clear with white banding.  Still, it most often is found in black varieties with white banding.  The pure black onyx is actually extremely rare.  Most of what is seen on the market today is a heat or chemically treated gray varieties of chalcedony that has been altered to give it a pure, rich, black color.  Onyx can be found anywhere in the world, but black onyx is primarily sourced from India, Brazil, Madagascar, the United States and Russia.

History

Onyx has been mentioned in many texts including the Bible and discovered with a multitude of artifacts in many civilizations throughout history.  Onyx also is mentioned in the ancient Greek stories of the gods as it was folklore that Cupid cut the fingernails of his mother Venus using his arrow.  The fingernails fell to earth into the Indus River where they soaked into the stone creating the mineral, onyx.  The ancient Romans would carve into the mineral as a negative relief called intaglios with raised imaged call cameos.  The Romans believed that wearing black onyx amulets with the figure of mars would provide them with bravery during battle and that breastplates adorned with onyx would guarantee success and bring victory.  In ancient China and India, the stone was thought to be a protective stone, keeping away evil and immoral beings.  

Metaphysical Properties

• Gives Inner Power, Courage and Bravery

• Great for Handling Difficult Situations

• Boosts Confidence and Increases Willpower

• Absorbs and Transmute Low Vibrations

• Attracts Good Luck

• Sharpens the Senses and Focus

• Alleviates Fear and Anxiety

• Protects From Toxic Emotions

• Calms the Mind When Dealing with Negative Emotions and Thoughts

• During Meditation, Provides Guidance on Releasing Negative Influences

• Heals and Centers the Root Chakra

Physical Healing

• Stabilizes the Nervous System

• Raises Stamina and Reduces Fatigue

• Aids in Treating Blood Illnesses

• Strengthens Teeth and Bones

• Supports Bone Marrow and Tissue Structures

• Helps to Heal Skin Diseases or Rashes, Inflammations or Infected Woulds

Chakras

• Root

 The Herkimer Diamond aka the “Stone of Attunement” is a brilliant double-terminated quartz crystal that is native to Herkimer County, New York.  According to author Robert Simmons, Herkimer Diamonds are a stone of the new consciousness which will accelerate and enhance human evolution.  There are even some who believe that these crystals are the most powerful of the quartz crystals for healing.  Herkimer Diamonds grow double terminated (natural facets on both ends), meaning they can receive and magnify the influence of other crystals making their protective and healing properties more significant.  They emit energy at both ends at the same time and are exceptional for cleansing and balancing.  When there is a time in life where you feel stuck, lost, visions for the future are unclear, you feel imbalanced, and fear the unknown, Herkimer Diamonds can help enlighten you to the next step and clear the fog.  They promote positive transformation, reveal the path forward and help you act with discernment.  While stuck in this abyss, we may be too focused on items and tasks that are not essential and are just masking the true issues which we should be addressing.  The energies of this powerful crystal will clear any resistance and illuminate negative behaviors so that we may make positive modifications.  When in uncomfortable situations or environments, these crystals can put you at ease and elevate calmness and serenity. 

Herkimer Diamonds are very high vibration, helping to uncover the truth beneath the surface by heightening intuition and connecting you at a deeper level with source energy.  Due to this ability to connect to source and universal energies, it is ideal for those looking to open psychic channels, clearing the chakras from blockages, and increasing energy flow through the body.  Herkimer Diamonds are linked to cosmic connection, higher consciousness, spiritual enlightenment, and soul growth and ascension.  These ancient stones are also known to facilitate communication with spirit guides, angels and ancestors.  We are each powerful, divine, sovereign creator beings on this planet during our physical experience. These quartz crystals help us to uncover our true purpose when we choose to work with them.  Herkimer Diamonds are also masters of protecting your surrounding environment, reducing electromagnetic pollution and radioactive energy.  They are perfect to place throughout a space or use in crystal grids to eliminate any negative energies and pollution.  Herkimer Diamonds are ideal for meditative practices and are known to alleviate insomnia.  Lastly, these powerful gems have crystal memory and the ability to store information for access later.  Due to this unique property, they pick up the feelings of the last person who handled it, so it is important to place it in the sunlight to cleanse and recharge when exchanging or after purchasing.  You may also use other cleansing or charging techniques.

History

Known also as “Little Falls Diamond” or “Middleville Diamond”, Herkimer Diamonds were discovered in the late 18th century in the Mohawk River Valley in Herkimer County, New York.  The very first discoveries were in the city of Little Falls and the village of Middleville, both located in Herkimer County.  The crystals can be found in other places in the world such as Pakistan, China, France and Italy, however, only those mined in Herkimer County can be given the name Herkimer Diamond.  The Mohawk Indians are believed to have been the first to discover the diamonds by accident.  Later, some workers officially discovered the gems in the 1700’s when cutting into the dolomite.  This unique find led to a diamond rush.  Herkimer diamonds are estimated to be over 500 million years old and found in sediment in Little Falls called dolostone.  Dolostone (dolomite and limestone) blanketed Herkimer County during the Precabrian age when it was at the bottom of the sea that at that time covered North America.  Herkimer diamonds were coveted by native Americans for their powerful spiritual and healing properties.  These crystals share a special relationship to the people who referred to themselves as Kanyenkehaka or “The People of The Crystals”.  Early settlers and the Mohawk desired the crystals and used them in various ways including amulets, tools, and for trade.

Herkimer Diamonds are clear with a glassy sheen, and sometimes feature rainbows.  They were named the official state mineral of New York in 2012.  Unlike most crystals they were formed in pockets and are not attached to a matrix.  Since Herkimer Diamond grows in pockets free from a surrounding matrix, they form with points on both ends (double-terminated).  Quartz does not adhere to dolostone.  They are currently not commercially mined due to various laws in the state of New York that limit mining which makes them a rarity.

Metaphysical Properties

·         Energizes, and Enlivens

·         Attunement

·         Stimulates Psychic Abilities

·         Enhances Spiritual Vision and Intuition

·         Clears Chakras of Blockages

·         Enhances Energy Flow

·         Illuminates Resistance and Allows for Recognition of Negative Life Behaviors

·         Facilitates Positive Transformation

·         Links People Together That Have Been Separated

·         Fosters Communication with Spirit Guides, Angels, and Ancestors

·         Has Crystal Memory and Capability to Store Information for Later Access

·         Clears Electromagnetic Pollution and Radioactivity

·         Excellent to Use in Crystal Grids or Around the Home

·         Relieves Insomnia

·         Protects the Environment

·         Clears Repressed Fears and Negative Feelings

·         Induces Serenity

·         Good for Meditation

·         Quiets the Overactive Mind 

Physical Healing

·         Detoxifies the Body from Pollutants

·         Corrects DNA and Cellular Disorders

·         Treats Metabolic Imbalances

·         Alleviates Bodily Pain from Injury or Illness

·         Eliminates Stress and Tension

·         Enhances Dream State

·         Prevents Physical Exhaustion and Burnout

·         Stimulates Immune Defense 

Chakras 

·         Crown

·         Third Eye 

Proper Care

To cleanse, use lukewarm water and mild soap with a soft cloth.  Avoid harsh chemicals or ultrasonic cleaners.  You may place it next to or on selenite to spiritually cleanse.  Sage/smudging and palo santo will also cleanse your crystal and release negative energies.  Herkimer Diamond is a crystal that responds well to sunlight therefore can be cleansed and charged by the sun.  Another alternative is to place it in the light of the full moon for 6-8 hours to charge.

Pairings

Herkimer Diamonds are paired well with many crystals due to their amplification properties, but specifically, we recommend Citrine (Increases Energy and Happiness), Smoky Quartz (Grounding), Amethyst (Calming/Anxiety Relief), Tigers Eye (Protection), Moldavite (Connectivity/Transformation), and Celestite (Awareness/Peace/Spiritual Connection), Lapis Lazuli (Protection/Balance), and Tourmaline (Physical and Emotional Well-Being).

 Quartz is a hard crystalline mineral composed of silica and is considered the most powerful healing and energy amplifiers on the planet.  Derived from the German word, Quarz, it is also the second most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust, only behind feldspar. China, Japan and Russia are the world’s primary producers of quartz, but the mineral can be found and is produced in all areas of the world.  There are many different varieties and colors of quartz with distinct energies and special healing properties for each.    

History

Quartz has been a central figure in just about all ancient cultures and civilizations.  The earliest talismans of the stone date back to 75,000 B.C.  Quartz was the most common material used for the mystical substance called maban in Australian Aboriginal Mythology.  This substance is what was believed to give the Shaman’s their magical powers.  The Ancient Greeks and Romans believed that the crystals, which the Greeks called Krystallos, were pieces of frozen ice that were so hard that they would not melt.  The Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder, was certain that the mineral was ice, but also realized that the quartz revealed prisms of light.  In Europe and the Middle East, quartz was the most common gemstone used for jewelry and hardstone carving. In many cultures today, it is still used for spiritual healing and cultural rituals but due to its abundance, it has also been more commercially used for art, glass making, countertops and home decoration, frequency vibration in crystal oscillators, lasers, microscopes, scientific instruments and a variety of electronic devices. 

Metaphysical Properties

• Supports Overall Well Being

• Brings Body into Balance

• Absorbs, Stores, Releases, Unblocks and Regulates Energy 

• Holding Quartz Will Double Your Bio-Magnetic Field

• Harmonizes and Stabilizes Your Environment

• Helpful In Romantic Relationships

• Increases Spiritual Energy to Highest Possible Level

• Enhances Physic Ability

• Attunes Individual to Their Spiritual Purpose

• Amplifies Communication with Spirit Guides

• Delivers Self-Knowledge to Overcome Personal Limits We Set on Ourselves

• Provides Focus for Goals at Hand

• Liberates Buried Memories to Your Conscious Awareness

• Revitalizes Dormant Abilities

• Encourages Clarity, Improves Perception and Understanding then Helps with Problem Solving

• Magnifies Meditation Focus So You Can Relieve Your Emotional Distress

• Harmonizes all Chakras and Energy Pathways 

Physical Healing

• Stimulates the Nervous System

• Cleanses And Enhances the Organs

• Effective To Fight Against Chronic Fatigue, Arthritis, Bone Injuries, Depression, Diabetes, Fibromyalgia and Intestinal Issues

• Revitalizes Parts of The Body That Have Lost Feeling, Are Cold, Experience Numbness or Have Become Paralyzed

• Reduces Fever and Alleviates Pain, Swelling and Nausea

• Master Healer Used to Treat Any Condition

Chakras

• Crown

 Tourmalated quartz is a clear quartz that has grown along together with tourmaline.  The translucence of the quartz shows the black tourmaline needles coursing through the stone showing off its beauty and unique character.    This crystal is also commonly called tourmalinated quartz or tourmaline quartz.  Although this quartz has a special, distinguishable charm, it is very common in the mineral world.  The opacity can range from completely clear to  mostly opaque, but the tourmaline is always on display.  Tourmalated quartz can be found anywhere in the world and is mined from deep within the earth to shallow pits, but the more stunning varieties are produced in Brazil.    

History

There is not a ton of documented history written about tourmalated quartz nor are there many legendary tales surrounding the stone like you might find with many other crystals in the mineral world.  The first documented use of tourmalated quartz was over two million years ago in Ethiopia.  The crystal was used  in tool making.  Today, the quartz is used to create jewelry, pieces of art and is used for the spiritual, emotional, and physical healing powers that are dually provided by the quartz crystal and tourmaline minerals that both exist with the crystal.  

Metaphysical Properties

• Great for Grounding

• Deflects Harmful Environmental Influences

• Harmonizes Energy and Spiritual Polarities

• Transfers Negative Energies into Positive Energies Creating Better Focus

• Effective in Open Mind for Problem Solving

• Alleviates Self Sabotage

• Eliminates Stagnate Patterns

• Melts Emotions Blockages Created by Overactive Mind

• Intensifies Awareness for Clear Intentions

• Powerful Conductor of Energies

• Harmonizes the Meridians, the Subtle Bodies and Chakras

Physical Healing

• Neutralizes Electromagnetic Frequencies and Radiation

• Treats Disorders of the Digestive Tract

• Strengthen Skeletal System

• Realigns the Spine and Vein Structure

• Helps with Cellular Regeneration

• Stimulates the Immune System

• Powerful General Detoxifier 

Chakras

• Third Eye

• Root