In Our Gallery Lapis Lazuli Pendants/Drops Lapis Lazuli Earrings Lapis Lazuli Rings Lapis Lazuli Bracelets Lapis Lazuli Beads Lapis Lazuli Brooches ...and more!	Enter Lapis Lazuli Gallery Here Lapis Lazuli - Beautiful from Afghanistan. Deep Blue Lapis Lazuli Jewelry in Sterling Silver	Lapis lazuli is mostly lazurite but commonly contains pyrites and calcites. The name of this gemstone means, "blue rock" and is always a brilliant blue with violet or greenish tints. The deep blue color is due to the sulfur that is inherent in the structure of lazurite. Small crystals of pyrite (fool's gold) are always present in lapis and their golden yellow color is both attractive and helps to distinguish lapis from its cousin sodalite, which lacks pyrite. Lapis lazuli has been mined for centuries in the remote mountains of Kokcha, Afghanistan. First mined about 6000 years ago, the rock made its way to Egypt and present day Iraq and Persia (Iran) and later to Europe. Europeans even ground down the rock into an expensive powdered pigment for paints called "ultramarine". Although not the only source of lapis, Afghanistan still produces the finest quality material.
Lapis Lazuli Ring	Lapis Lazuli Free Form Pendant/Slide	Lapis Lazuli - Mounted in Heavy Sterling Silver.
	Featuring Lapis Lazuli & Sterling Silver designs by Phillip Zachary, David Zachary, Navajo silversmiths Wilson Padilla & Tom Willeto as well as many other artists.
	Site & content copyright 2005 by Phillip Zachary