Blue Jewelry, That is

 One of my first wire wrapping projects was a set of matching blue lapis earrings. The stones were a gift from a neighbor’s mother who was visiting from Brazil. The deep blue color with gold streaks is typical and highly prized. When I wear them, I always have someone ask me to make them a pair just like those

•   Lapislazuli, Lapis for short, is an opaque stone. It is mainly composed of the mineral, Lazurite, and also contains calcium (white) and pyrite, which gives the stone a sparkly golden look.

• Lapis ranges in value from $1 to $150 per carat. If you buy lapis lazuli, look for a deeper blue color with the least amount of white and the sparkle of pyrite throughout

• Lapis is relatively soft and is easily scratched or chipped, so it’s best used for necklaces and lapis earrings.

• The best lapis comes from a mine in Afghanistan. It has been mined there for 7,000 years. Lapis lazuli is found in Chile, Siberia, Burma and Colorado, as well.

• Be aware that lapis is sometimes enhanced with dyes, or treated with wax and resin to improve color or mask white streaks. This could fade with time.

• Besides jewelry, lapis is used for decorative carvings and when crushed, can be used to get the blue color in paint.

 Here are some lapis earrings that I have just created.