What are the Types of Lapis Lazuli? : Know it All

Lapis lazuli has been used in historical instances and remains famous today. This gemstone has been prized for its brilliant blue color and used for inlay, intarsia, and pigments for cosmetics and artwork. Lapis Lazuli’s charm and attraction are impossible to resist. But, today, jewelry is its most important use.

Let us discuss the Types of Lapis lazuli at the side of the numerous colors of Lapis in this guide.

Suggested Reading: What are The Top 3 Negative Effects of Lapis Lazuli?

What are the different types of Lapis Lazuli?

Types of Lapis Lazuli

Lapis lazuli has been studied in distinctive elements by geologists and mineralogists because of the extreme complexity of its composition. Its abundance of chemical factors is established in at least fourteen unique minerals. Each extracted Lapis can have a moderate variant in its design, which impacts the stone’s color.

The physical properties of any stone are greater susceptive to environmental changes when they’re composed of a vast wide variety of minerals.

Lapis lazuli must exist only in very controlled environments – like altitude, air quality, and temperature. As a result, it’s a one-of-a-kind gemstone!

Phoenix Lapis Lazuli

Many centuries ago, a stone worker was thought to have blended Lapis lazuli with turquoise for a homemade masterpiece. The result became a phoenix-fashion stone with the same components, blue and green.

Today, the phoenix Lapis lazuli is wholly artificial and typically embodies counterfeit stone. There is no such element as natural phoenix Lapis, so be wary of those on the Internet who declare there to be.

 Tumbled Lapis Lazuli

Tumbling stones entail pushing rough Lapis lazuli into a special mechanism that rolls the stone around at high speeds. The polished Lapis lazuli is left behind after all sharp edges have been worn down and rounded out.

Tumbled stones are considered better for paintings on the physical body, while hard stones are high-quality for display inside the household.

 Raw Lapis Lazuli

This Lapis lazuli is lifted from the earth in a raw, unpolished, undefined shape. Raw Lapis is ideal while located within the home or lawn for channeling or protection.

 Natural Lapis Lazuli

A retailer may also consult with a chunk of Lapis lazuli as “natural” for the motive of declaring that this is a genuine stone and now not an artificial stone. This is never to say that a store that neglects to state a stone to be “natural” promotes counterfeit stones; it’s far absolutely the approach of some sellers and no longer of problem to others. Use your discretion and ask questions when in doubt!

 Lapis Lazuli Marble

The natural Lapis lazuli texture, as it comes from the earth, makes it a great stone to use in the area of marble or granite. In addition, slabs of Lapis lazuli may be excavated and utilized in home design, both inside and outside.

Again, those stones may be efficiently dealt with and sealed so that water touch never becomes a motive for deterioration. That being said, Lapis lazuli marble is not recommended to be used in places of high moisture, along with a restroom.

Chilean Lapis Lazuli

Chilean Lapis lazuli, differing from that of different deposits due to its specific vicinity, is azure and colorful with a uniform, granular shape that gives it a silky shine. In addition, there are one-of-a-kind tones among Chilean Lapis, starting from sky blue to nocturnal deep blue. These are products of slight variations inside the stone’s mineral composition.

Furthermore, there are different variations of Chilean Lapis Lazuli and they are listed below

Daytime Sky Blue

Lighter portions of Lapis lazuli have thick white and grey veins or spots (dioxide and calcite), contrasting against the intense blue. Typically, Lapis lazuli may be made from approximately 30% calcite, but this mineral is extra ample in lighter gemstones. This particular layout gives one the image of a blue sky with scattered clouds. This sort of Lapis is much less precious and seen as of lower purity despite its beauty. It is often used inside the decoration or manufacture of adorns with massive surfaces.

Evening Sky

An extra not unusual form of Lapis lazuli resembles a nighttime sky. These stones are of a slightly deeper blue coloring. Lazurite, which is chargeable for blue, makes up at least 60-70% of these stones. They additionally have few white or grey spots. Instead, they have got a better abundance of crystallized pyrite, which adds a glitter of tiny, golden specks. These portions are often valued the most for their homogenous coloring and better purity and are often utilized in top-notch earrings and decorative pieces.

Nocturnal Sky

Sometimes Lapis stones can be this dark blue coloration that almost looks black. In these deep blue pieces, the pyrite stands out even more. Comparing the brilliant gold on the dark blue backdrop calls to mind a starry night sky. Occasionally, calcite is visible in the form of dark gray clouds. This is perhaps the rarest shape of Lapis lazuli and is a valuable, collectible gem.

What Does Lapis Lazuli Do? 7 Interesting Facts, Read here.

Various Colors in Lapis Lazuli

Pink Lapis Lazuli

Because Lapis lazuli is the vibrant and outstanding color of blue, there was a movement in the crystal market to dye these stones into extraordinary colorations, with the belief that it might cause them to be extra appealing to a broader variety of people.

Some human beings are more interested in crimson than blue, so crimson Lapis lazuli has its area inside the crystal world. On the other hand, pink lazuli holds the same properties because authentic stones, and nothing is modified in a dying technique.

Blue Lapis Lazuli

blue lapis lazuli

Blue is the unique and maximum herbal form of Lapis lazuli. It is how nature meant the stone to be and the strong version as we carry it out of the ground and into the physical world we are searching to navigate.

Red Lapis Lazuli

Unfortunately, “red Lapis” is yet another advertising and marketing ploy to make these stones more varied and appealing. Red Lapis are made using crimson agate and consist of no authentic Lapis crystalline shape in any respect.

Yellow Lapis Lazuli

Lapis lazuli is in no way yellow, but a few do check with the golden pyrite inclusions as yellow flakes or yellow streaks.

Some Lapis hold extra flakes than others, making sure forms look extra yellow than other stones.

Gold Lapis Lazuli

As cited above, the gold in Lapis lazuli is little more than pyrite flakes or streaks that settle in rock. This gives Lapis its golden luster and very eye-catching enchantment.

Some creditors make it their existence undertaking to find the most golden piece of Lapis around.

White Lapis Lazuli

All-natural Lapis has a stage of white calcite present inside the crystalline formation. Sometimes, the calcite is so plentiful that it nearly takes over a maximum of the stone.

The visible is much like a snowy mountaintop with a vibrant blue mountain down under.

Purple Lapis Lazuli

Because Lapis lazuli is technically each blue and indigo-ray energy, numerous people accomplish the stone with pink rays than the blue ray.

Every so frequently, the mineral inclusions at the time of stone formation are better or decrease and thereby causing Lapis to tackle greater of a purple luster. But, again, this does not affect the properties of the stone in any way.

Green Lapis Lazuli

Some more fantastic rare kinds of Lapis lazuli take on a moss-green hue below the proper conditions. These aren’t smooth to locate, so replica variations are made through manufacturers seeking to make a brief dollar. Be wary of inexperienced Lapis lazuli being sold at markets.

What is the origin of the Lapis Lazuli sold these days?

origin of the Lapis Lazuli
origin of the Lapis Lazuli

Persian or Afghan stones are the most common types on the market right now. They’re Intense, homogeneous, medium darkish, and barely violetish blue.

What is the best quality Lapis Lazuli?

A superb, strong blue lightly dusted with tiny flecks of golden pyrite may be the gorgeous color for Lapis lazuli. The pyrite should be in small quantities, and there should be no white calcite veins visible to the naked eye.

The most prized Lapis lazuli colors are medium to dark blue or violetish blue. The maximum pleasant stones have a blue to purplish-blue hue and a fair coloration, 75-85% tone. Bluer Lapis tend to be lighter, and gemstones with purple generally tend toward the darker content.

Check this post to know how to Identify a Real Lapis stone from a Fake one.

What is the rarest kind of Lapis Lazuli?

The contrast of the striking gold at the dark blue backdrop calls to mind a starry nighttime sky. Occasionally, calcite is visible in the form of dark grey clouds. This is possibly the rarest form of Lapis lazuli and is a treasured, collectible gem.

What is the most expensive Lapis lazuli?

Today, the maximum treasured Lapis lazuli inside the market can be the Afghan Lapis lazuli (additionally known as Persian Lapis lazuli) due to the high quality of its formation and consistency of coloration saturation. Siberian Lapis lazuli is available as a near 2d, observed via Lapis lazuli taken from the Chilean Andes.

Most expensive Lapis lazuli

According to specialists, the most prized Lapis lazuli has a few internal inclusions like calcite and pyrite. Therefore, the lower its cost, the different impurities there are in a pattern of Lapis lazuli.

Although many people partner Lapis with dark blue, it’s also observed in other blue sunshades and other colors. Its shade can vary from deep violet-blue and royal blue to light blue to turquoise blue to a greenish-blue.

The aggregate of various minerals inside the total determines the coloration. The striking blue coloration that you see is due to the presence of Azurite, while the golden and white streaks are caught due to the fact of Pyrite and Calcite, respectively.

Read on if you want to know the Properties of Lapis lazuli with water.

Final Thoughts

Lapis stone in its purest form is available in a fantastic color of blue at the same time as the less refined variations may be located in different shades and colorings of blue as nicely. This is because the constituent minerals soak up mild wavelengths to be answerable for the coloration you see.