Carnelian Agate

Carnelian is a semi-precious stone consisting of an orange or orange-red variety of chalcedony/agate. Its name is believed to come from the Latin word carneus, meaning ‘flesh-colored’. The reddish color is caused by iron oxide impurities within the silica that formed the chalcedony. Often, the terms carnelian and sard are used interchangeably, though there is a difference. The primary difference is that “true” carnelian is often pure red or banded. Sard, on the other hand, is a deep, dark red in color and can even lean into black at its darkest.