The Story of Onyx: A Stone of Shadow and Strength

A model gracefully showcases elegant SONM jewelry, featuring stunning Onyx stone earrings and a matching ring against a textured backdrop.

Long before onyx adorned rings and necklaces, before it was carved into cameos or set into crowns, it was a stone whispered about in ancient temples and royal courts — a gemstone born from myth, mystery, and meaning.

Let me take you back to where the story begins…

A Goddess, A Stone, A Legend : The Story of Onyx

They say that Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, once slept by the banks of the Indus River. As she rested, Cupid, ever mischievous, clipped her divine fingernails with the tip of his enchanted arrow. The clippings, being from a goddess, were far too sacred to simply disappear. So the gods turned them to stone, creating what we now call onyx. A black gemstone, formed not from the earth’s crust alone, but from the essence of love and divinity itself.

The Greeks Feared It. The Romans Wore It.

In ancient Greece, onyx (from the Greek word onyx, meaning “fingernail” or “claw”) was seen as a stone of hidden power. Warriors believed it could stir courage in battle, while others feared it could also invoke sadness if misused — a dual nature that gave onyx its reputation as a stone of both strength and shadow.

But in Ancient Rome, the stone was adored. Roman generals would wear engraved onyx talismans into battle, believing the stone would imbue them with fearlessness and focus. Artisans would carve the profiles of gods and emperors into it, turning the gem into miniature monuments of power.

Onyx in the East: Protection and Grounding

In India, China, and Persia, onyx was known not just for its beauty but for its grounding energy.

A tale often told in Indian households speaks of a grandmother who kept a small onyx bowl by her bedside, filled with water and herbs. She’d whisper into it at night, offering prayers for protection, believing the onyx absorbed the day’s negative energies.

In ancient Chinese medicine, healers used onyx to calm the mind and realign spiritual balance, treating it not just as stone, but as a channel for emotional detox.

Wearing Onyx: A Personal Ritual

When you wear onyx, you’re not just wearing a stone, you’re wearing centuries of belief, myth, and memory. Maybe it's in a ring you twist when you need grounding.Or earrings that make you feel like your most unapologetic self. Or a pendant that feels like armor — soft, invisible, but powerful.

Wherever you wear it, onyx doesn’t ask for attention.It simply stands with you — strong, still, and deeply rooted.

At SONM, we see onyx not just as a design element but as a reminder that shadow and strength can coexist. It represents protection, resilience, and the quiet kind of confidence that doesn’t need to be loud to be felt. There’s power in its depth. In a world constantly asking us to shine, onyx reminds us that it’s okay to be still. To be grounded. To embrace the parts of ourselves that aren’t always on display but are always holding us steady.

Explore SONM’s curation of semi-precious gemstones — including onyx — and wear your story, with soul.