Lapis Lazuli comes from the Latin Lapis Lazuli, the former referring to the gemstone and the latter to the blue color (gemstone). It is one of the ancient witnesses of cultural exchange between the East and the West. According to the data, lapis lazuli was introduced to China from Afghanistan through the Silk Road. Lapis lazuli is the birthstone of December along with turquoise and zircon.
[Lapis Lazuli]
Mineralogical name: Aluminosilicate mineral
Chemical formula: (Na,Ca)7~8(Al,Si)12(O,S)24[SO4,Cl2(OH)2]
Color: blue, dark blue, blue-purple or blue-green
Luster: glassy to waxy
Transparency: translucent to opaque
Crystal system: isometric
Hardness: 5-6
Refractive index: 1.500-1.522
Specific gravity: 2.380-2.450
❄️ [Composition]
Lapis lazuli is composed of three natural minerals: azurite, calcite, and pyrite, but with different amounts of each.
Lapis lazuli appears as white spots or streaks when it contains more calcite, and yellow starbursts on a blue background when it contains more pyrite, resembling a brilliant and quiet night sky, or it may appear as an even and uniform body color with no pyrite or calcite visible to the naked eye.
[Origin]
Provenance is found in the United States, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Burma, Chile, Canada, Pakistan, India and Angola. Afghanistan's lapis lazuli is produced in the lapis lazuli-bearing areas of the country's Badakhshan province, of which the Sarezangh deposit is the most famous. Lapis lazuli is the traditional jade imported from ancient times in China, most of which originates from Afghanistan. To date, no output of lapis lazuli has been found in the country.
[quality]
Lapis lazuli's signature color ranges from blue, dark blue, blue-green to blue-purple, with a fairly high degree of saturation. Lapis lazuli is considered good or bad in the jewelry industry because of its color, as well as the presence or absence of calcite and pyrite, and the amount of content and evenness of distribution of inclusions are among the key factors in judging it.
(1) Best quality - The most valuable lapis lazuli should be free from calcite visible to the naked eye, have a deep, pure, even blue hue, and be free from cracks.
(2) Contains golden yellow spots - If the lapis lazuli contains tiny, golden pyrite spots that are evenly distributed throughout the stone, its unique beauty is so striking, like a bright starry sky on a quiet night, that the presence of these spots does not necessarily diminish the value of the lapis lazuli.
(3) Containing white spots or white stripes - If lapis lazuli contains more calcite, it will show more white spots or stripes, thus reducing the concentration and uniformity of the blue color, and the quality will be reduced.
(4) Poor quality - When Lapis Lazuli contains excessive pyrite, it will have a greenish, dull appearance and is of poor quality.
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