How to clean it
Damp cloth only. Porous, so no soaking and no ultrasonic.
Deep blue with gold pyrite flecks
Lapis Lazuli
The birthstone for September and December.
Properties
Composition
Rock of lazurite with calcite and pyrite
Hardness (Mohs)
5–6
Crystal system
Cubic (lazurite)
Colour
Deep blue with gold pyrite flecks
Mined in
Afghanistan (Sar-e-Sang), Chile, Russia
Worth knowing
Ground into ultramarine, the most expensive pigment in Renaissance painting — more costly than gold, which is why it was reserved for the Virgin's robe.
History
Mined in Afghanistan for over 6000 years; traded to Egypt for Tutankhamun's burial mask.
Practical
Caring for Lapis Lazuli
How to tell it is real
Dyed jasper sold as lapis is common. Genuine lapis carries gold pyrite flecks and white calcite veining; a uniform deep blue with neither is usually dyed.
One general rule covers most mistakes: never store stones loose together. Diamond at 10 on the Mohs scale scratches everything else you own, and it does not need much contact to do it.
What that hardness means in practice
Softer than household dust. Better in earrings or a pendant than in a ring, where it takes constant knocks.
Traditional associations
Lapis Lazuli is traditionally linked to truthfulness, study and speaking with authority. In chakra systems it is placed at the Third Eye, Throat, and in elemental correspondence it is assigned to Air.
These are cultural associations recorded across various traditions, not claims about physical effects. The composition and hardness above are measurable; this paragraph is folklore, and worth reading as such.
Questions
What is Lapis Lazuli made of?
Rock of lazurite with calcite and pyrite, crystallising in the cubic (lazurite) system.
Which month is Lapis Lazuli the birthstone for?
September, December.
Where does Lapis Lazuli come from?
Afghanistan (Sar-e-Sang), Chile, Russia.
How do I clean Lapis Lazuli?
Damp cloth only. Porous, so no soaking and no ultrasonic.
How can I tell if Lapis Lazuli is real?
Dyed jasper sold as lapis is common. Genuine lapis carries gold pyrite flecks and white calcite veining; a uniform deep blue with neither is usually dyed.
Can I wear it every day?
At 5–6 on the Mohs scale, not in a ring. Keep it to pieces that take fewer knocks.