14K Gold Black Onyx Studs - Large 12x16mm Oval Cabochon

Black Onyx Stud Earrings - Large Oval Cabochons in Solid Gold

One oval cabochon of black onyx on each ear, 12 x 16mm, domed and polished to a deep even black and held in a softly curved gold bezel that follows the stone all the way round. There is no faceting and no pattern: onyx of this quality reads as a single unbroken darkness with one clean highlight travelling across the dome as it moves. The pair weighs 3.98 grams in 14k solid gold, roughly two of those grams being stone, on posts with butterfly backs.

Black is the hardest colour to get right in jewellery because there is nowhere to hide. A faceted stone can carry a poor polish on the strength of its sparkle; a plain dome shows every scratch and every flat spot, so a cabochon this size has to be finished properly or not at all. What it gives back is the one thing no coloured stone can - absolute contrast against gold, which is why black and yellow has outlasted every fashion since the Romans.

FAQs

1. How large are they on the ear?
The stone alone is 12 x 16mm with the gold bezel around it, so each earring is a little over a centimetre and a half tall. These are the biggest of our onyx studs and read as a proper statement rather than an accent.

2. Is the black natural?
The stone is natural chalcedony; the solid black is produced by a sugar and acid treatment that has been standard since Roman times. It is permanent and part of the stone rather than a coating. Almost all black onyx sold anywhere is treated this way.

3. Why a cabochon rather than a faceted stone?
Because faceting works by returning light out of a transparent stone, and onyx is opaque. A polished dome is the only cut that suits it, which is why onyx has been domed for two thousand years.

4. Are they heavy?
3.98 grams for the pair including the stones, so under two grams an ear. They have visual presence without weight, because roughly half the mass is stone rather than metal.

5. How should onyx be cared for?
Warm soapy water and a soft cloth, then dry fully. Onyx is quartz at 7 on the hardness scale so it takes daily wear, but avoid ultrasonic cleaners, steam and household chemicals, and take it off before bleach or strong cleaning products. Store away from harder stones. For the gold, see our Gold Care Card, and our hallmark guide explains the 585 mark.

How to Style the Large Onyx Studs

Black against yellow gold is the most reliable contrast in jewellery - it works with every colour you own and reads formal or casual depending on what else you wear. Explore the full 14k and 18k Gold collection, browse more Earrings, or visit JewelBuild™.