The short version: carnelian is an orange-to-red chalcedony — a microcrystalline quartz — colored by iron oxide. Here is the mineral, how its color is made, and the traditions attached to it.
What it is — chalcedony in warm orange and red; much carnelian on the market is gently heated to deepen the color, a standard, disclosed trade practice. Mohs 7, hard and durable.
The lore — Egyptians and Romans carved carnelian into signet rings and seals (its surface releases cleanly from hot wax), and it has long been a stone of boldness, drive, and warmth.
How people use it — worn as jewelry or kept as a bright pocket stone; a warm note on a desk.
Shop our carnelian collection or visit a Sedona shop.