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Carnelian can range in color from reddish orange to brownish, yellow, orange to brown. The different shades of orange/red depend on the amount of iron oxide present in each stone. Carnelian can be uniform in color but also occurs with streaked layers: these stones are often used to carve cameos. Carnelian is a relatively soft stone, which makes it easy to cut into various shapes, and is transparent to slightly translucent.
Because chalcedony occurs all over the world, carnelian is a relatively cheap gemstone. Unlike many gemstones, carnelian is actually always opaque and therefore the color mainly influences the quality. Because it is opaque, it is usually cut as a cabochon or rose cut, or used for beads and intaglio. The gemstone comes in different shades of yellow and orange, with deep orange being the most popular. Most of the carnelian found on the market today is treated chalcedony from Brazil or Uruguay, which has been heated to obtain its most popular color, an intense orange.
Discover the most beautiful collection of vintage carnelian jewelry here .