Carnelian Crochet Earrings

Crocheted in a light to dark fire orange variegated cotton thread, these granny square earrings hang from sterling silver earwires.  They are adorned each with a single dangle consisting of a 6 mm sterling silver round, a square tube-shaped piece of carnelian (4 x 4 x 16 mm), and another sterling silver round.
Carnelian, found in Uruguay, Brazil, and India, is a 7 (out of ten) on the Mohs scale of hardness.  It is a form of Chalcedony which is a type of quartz.  Its chemical formula is SiO2.
Carnelian is one of twelve gemstones mentioned in the Holy Bible.  There is a reference in Exodus 28 of the breastplate of the Ephod of the High Priest of the Israelites, Aaron.  This breastplate held twelve stones, one being carnelian, and was used to communicate with their God.
Today carnelian is used to increase vitality, to aid those people trying to conceive, and to help those trying to detox.