Obsidian Beads
Obsidian beads are natural volcanic glass, formed when silica-rich lava cooled too fast for crystals to grow. This collection holds every obsidian we stock: plain black, snowflake obsidian with grey spherules, mahogany obsidian with red-brown patches, rainbow and silver sheen obsidian with their internal flash, and translucent ice obsidian, in a range of finishes and shapes for bracelets, necklaces and earrings.
Appearance
Black obsidian is a deep, glossy black, smoky grey at thin edges. Snowflake obsidian scatters grey-white rosettes across the black, and brown snowflake does the same on a mahogany ground. Mahogany obsidian mixes rust brown and black in bold patches, and Mexican red snowflake combines all 3. Rainbow obsidian looks black until direct light reveals bands of purple, green and gold; silver sheen shows a grey metallic glow. Ice obsidian is a translucent smoky grey to pale brown.
A polished finish suits obsidian best, giving the glass its mirror depth and letting rainbow and sheen effects show. A matte finish turns black obsidian a soft charcoal and hides any sheen, though it suits snowflake and mahogany well. Obsidian is glass, 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, so it scratches more easily than quartz and can chip at a sharp edge. Store it apart from harder stones and avoid hard knocks.
Formation and origin
All obsidian forms the same way: rhyolitic lava, rich in silica, chills so quickly at the surface that its atoms never organize into crystals. Snowflake obsidian is black glass that began to devitrify, growing radiating clusters of cristobalite, a form of silica. Mahogany obsidian carries iron oxide in red-brown zones. Rainbow obsidian owes its colors to layers of nanoscale magnetite crystals that interfere with light, and silver and gold sheen come from aligned gas bubbles. Ice obsidian is glass with few inclusions. Major sources are Mexico, the western United States, Armenia and Iceland.
Pairings
Black onyx beads: glossy black chalcedony that matches obsidian in color and adds hardness to the strand.
Larvikite beads: dark grey feldspar with a silver flash that sits well beside sheen and rainbow obsidian.
Hematite beads: metallic grey spacers between black glass is one of the most common dark bracelet combinations.
Meaning and Metaphysical Beliefs
Obsidian has long been regarded as a stone of protection, and black obsidian in particular is associated with shielding against negativity and cutting away what no longer serves. Snowflake obsidian is linked with balance and acceptance, mahogany with strength and grounding, and rainbow obsidian with hope and renewal after loss. Obsidian mirrors were used by Aztec priests for divination, and the stone is generally placed with the root chakra. These are traditional beliefs, not claims of physical effect.
