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This is the place to find out what a Peridot or a Labradorite is. There are over 80 bead-related terms for you to browse.

Note: Some of the definitions and descriptions used here are copyright 1995 by Ornamental Resources, Incorporated. We are grateful for their permission to quote from their catalog to create this feature. This information may not be reproduced or distributed for financial gain or included in commercial collections or compilations without express permission from Ornamental Resources, Inc., P.O. Box 3010WW, Idaho Springs CO 80452. Visitors are permitted to print out this section for personal use only.

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Obsidian is volcanic lava that cooled quickly. It is a stone of protection, and was probably one the first stones to be used for arrowheads and knives.

Onyx is known to help release negative emotions such as sorrow and grief. It is used to end unhappy or bothersome relationships. Onyx guards against negativity that is directed at you. Black stones have protective energies in the sense that black is the absence of light, and therefore, can be used to create invisibility. Onyx is said to fortify self confidence and responsibility, sharpen senses and encourages a healthy sense of self worth.

Opals' fascinating play of light, created by multiple compressed silica spheres within the stone, is referred to as "opalescence." Ancient people revered the opal as a symbol of faithfulness; its name is derived from upala, Sanskrit for "precious stone." The Greeks believed it to cure all eye ailments and carried it as a talisman of good luck.