Lapis Lazuli is an opaque deep royal blue stone used in jewelry for thousands of years - in fact, it is one of the first gemstones ever to be incorporated into jewelry. It is a complex stone composed of several blue minerals, including lazurite and sodalite, with a matrix of calcite and speckles of pyrite. It is distinctively fluorescent. Lower quality specimens are commonly color enhanced.
Other forms of lapis:
Lapis Nevada - a relatively recent discovery, it is pink and green, composed of 11 different minerals, and mined in Nevada.
Denim Lapis - a less expensive form with lots of white calcite matrix, it is gaining popularity for use in more casual accessories.
Hardness: 5-6
Care: Clean with a soft dry cloth, avoid water and chemicals. It is light fast, but easily scratched or chipped with rough handling.
I have used beads of premium quality royal blue lapis in my Three Part Invention necklace - the color is so intense, I felt they were well suited to this minimalist design.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Lapis Lazuli
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