Carnelian

The carnelian gemstone is a historical favorite of jewelry makers. The carnelian stone is a unique gem that can be carved and nicely combined with other precious gems to create gorgeous fine jewelry pieces.

Ancient birthstone charts list carnelian as the birthstone for the zodiac signs of Leo and Virgo. Carnelian as a birthstone is listed in ancient tables of Hebrew, Arabic, Italian, and Roman descent.

Carnelian is a stone from the chalcedony family, which is a form of quartz. The chalcedony family also includes agate. This carnelian-agate family is the family of stones known for unique concentric layers made up of varying textures and colors which have been historically prized as talismans and amulets with various powers.

In jewelry making, carnelian stones are formed into a number of shapes for setting and mounting. Carnelian is sometimes used to make carnelian beads. Carnelian can be set to make a carnelian ring or carnelian pendant for pins, brooches, and necklaces.

Another use for the gem is carnelian carving. Carnelian exists naturally at an ideal hardness level for carving. Carnelian has been used for this purpose since even before recorded history, as evidenced by an excavated ancient carnelian necklace. Carnelian has been made famous as the base stone for cameos. A carnelian shell cameo is a timeless jewelry style.

Shopping online is an ideal way to buy carnelian because of the many style options available through internet resources that might not otherwise be seen locally. When you want to buy a carnelian with a unique style or in combination with other gems, the internet is your best resource. Some of the pieces that are available on the web but might be difficult to locate otherwise are:

• turquoise tiger eye carnelian necklace
• turquoise carnelian earrings
• spiderweb carnelian
• carnelian sterling silver ring

Turquoise and carnelian set in combination are very popular. The colors of the two are nicely complimentary of each other and exhibit a natural tonal combination with a sort of south-eastern U.S. flair.

Through the ages carnelian has been valued for many reasons. Largely, carnelian has been utilized for its healing properties. Today, the majority of carnelian wearers wear the gemstone purely for its beauty, which is also great. Whether you are buying carnelian to relieve muscle aches, purify the blood, or just to look pretty, a carnelian purchase is a piece that is sure to be admired and loved for many years. Carnelian is a beautiful choice for natural color and interest in a jewelry setting, worthy of a small investment either way.