Chalcedony gemstone guide

Chalcedony: Everything you need to know

One of the oldest gemstones, chalcedony makes up many other crystals and gem varieties, meaning without it, some gemstones wouldn’t even exist! Here’s all you need to know about chalcedony, from its many different types to its illustrious colours.

Billions of years old

At over 1 billion years old, chalcedony is believed to be the world’s oldest gemstone. Its name comes from the Latin word ‘chalcedonius’ which is thought to be derived from the town Chalcedon (now called Kadikoy) in Turkey, where the stone occurs the most. The gem is also found in many countries like Russia, India, Morocco, Brazil, Mexico, New Zealand, and Madagascar. Chalcedony spans many cultures and was used in various objects before they were turned into jewellery, like tools, knives and beads. 

Soothing colour & shine

Chalcedony is a cryptocrystalline structure that’s made of natural silicon dioxide. It has a compact tight structure which means in its crystal form, it can be easily smoothed and polished into a gemstone that can be used in jewellery. While there are many different types of chalcedony, it’s semi-transparent or translucent, and has a waxy lustre. Chalcedony is fairly pale and is typically white, grey, pink, blue, or green.

Types of Chalcedony 

Many gemstones are forms of chalcedony, like agate, carnelian and chrysoprase. Agate is a unique variety of chalcedony as it has many patterns running through the main colour. It has a brown base and colours like black, white, pink, and orange stripe through it. Similarly, carnelian is a brown-red variety of chalcedony that can vary from transparent and pale to dark and matte, depending on where it’s sourced. A slightly more colourful variety of chalcedony is chrysoprase which is blue-green which has stripes of white and brown running through it. Other types of chalcedony include heliotrope, onyx, moss agate, and fire agate.

The Speaker’s Stone

Due to the various varieties of chalcedony, it has many different meanings and benefits. It’s known as the Speakers Stone as it’s said to enhance the ability to speak skilfully and keep a conversation flowing. Chalcedony is also known for its balancing properties and is said to bring the mind, body, and spirit into harmony.

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Image credit: newmoonbeginnings.com