Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is not a single mineral, but a rock.

It is composed primarily of deep-blue lazurite, sprinkled with golden flecks of pyrite and white veins of calcite, like a starry sky.

Its mines in Badakhshan, in Afghanistan, have been worked for over 6000 years — among the oldest in human history.

The lapis in Tutankhamun’s golden funerary mask was carried from those very Afghan mines, over thousands of kilometers.

In the Renaissance, ground to a powder, it became "ultramarine" — the most expensive blue pigment, at times more precious than gold.

Painters reserved it for the Virgin’s robes; Vermeer used it in "Girl with a Pearl Earring".

Its color is a royal blue, with those unmistakable pyrite stars.

The finest specimens still come from Afghanistan; other sources are Chile and Russia.

Associated with wisdom, truth, and communication, lapis has always been the stone of kings and scholars.

With a hardness of 5–6 and a slightly porous structure, it is sensitive to chemicals and hot water.

It deserves a gentle wipe with a soft cloth. This rich contrast is beautifully showcased in 925 silver and yellow gold.