Lapis Lazuli

Lapiz lazuli translates from the Arabic as ‘heaven’s stone’ and was held in high regard in ancient times. And considering the numerous imitations found today, there’s no doubt it’s still a people’s favourite.

Natural lapis lazuli is an intense brilliant blue, a colour it derives from the presence of the mineral lazurite named after the stone. It’s completely opaque and often contains small golden or silver pyrite inclusions that run through the material in veins or layers. The finest-quality lapis has an even deep blue colour containing a purplish tint or tone free from pyrite inclusions.

Despite the numerous new ways of conjuring the stone into existence, Afghanistan is still considered the best source of the material, often providing the most desirable and expensive shades of blue. Lapis lazuli is also mined in Sibera, though material from here often has a higher percentage of pyrite inclusions.

Sources:
Judith Crowe, The Jeweller's Directory of Gemstones (London: A&C Black, 2006)
Cally Hall, Gemstones (London: Dorling Kindersley, 1994)
Jaroslaw Bauer and Vladimir Bouska, A Guide in Colour to Precious & Semiprecious Stones (London: Octopus Books, 1983)