CARNELIAN (Quartz)
Looks like Redeye
FOUND IN
Brazil, India, Scotland, USA
COLOUR
Blood-red, Reddish-orange
HARDNESS
7
ANNIVERSARY
10th
The rich, deep red/orange colours that this variety of chalcedony exudes have made it prized in history. It’s written in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, that the gemstone should be placed in tombs as ‘magic armour’ for life after death. Carnelian was once thought to still the blood and calm the temper, but also said to give the owner courage in battle and help timid speakers be eloquent.
The colour is due to iron-oxide being present. It can be uniformly coloured or banded, with the strongly banded known as carnelian agate.
