Lapis Lazuli

Along with Malachite, Lapis Lazuli is one of the first treasured stones of humankind.  It has been mined for over 7,000 years. The name stems from the Latin word "lapis" meaning stone and from the Arabic word "azula" meaning blue. This highly treasured blue stone can be found throughout many ancient civilizations.

Before synthetic dyes were created, Lapis was often ground and used as a pigment, making blue paint, "Ultramarine" the most expensive and valuable paint available. For this reason, blue paint was most often reserved for royalty and holy figures such as the Madonna. Most of the world's Lapis Lazuli is mined from the mountains in northern Afghanistan. 

Lapis Lazuli has a surprisingly soft Mohs Hardness rating of only 5.5 - 6.  

To spot fake lapis lazuli, look for inconsistencies like an overly uniform color or a lack of natural pyrite (golden flecks) and calcite (white swirls).