The facts
What lapis lazuli actually is
Lapis lazuli is classified as rock — lazurite with calcite and pyrite, with the composition (Na,Ca)₈(AlSiO₄)₆(S,SO₄,Cl)₂. It crystallises in the cubic (lazurite) system.
Colour comes from sulphur radical anions in the sodalite structure, which is also what a laboratory looks at when it is asked whether a colour is natural.
Refractive index 1.50 (lazurite). Specific gravity around 2.7–2.9. Cleavage: none. Those three numbers separate it from most of what imitates it.
Where lapis lazuli comes from
Lapis lazuli is produced at Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan — mined for 6,000 years, Ovalle, Chile and Baikal, Russia.
The locality is part of the description, not a footnote — two stones of the same weight from two of these places are not the same stone.
How lapis lazuli is treated
Dyeing and waxing are common on pale material. Dyed jasper ("Swiss lapis") is a known imitation.
Treatment changes value, sometimes by a multiple, so it belongs in the description before the price and not after the sale.
What lapis lazuli is confused with
In the trade lapis lazuli is most often mistaken for, or substituted by, Sodalite, Dyed jasper, Reconstituted lapis or Glass.
The separation is rarely a matter of opinion: refractive index 1.50 (lazurite) and specific gravity 2.7–2.9 settle most of it in a minute, and magnification settles the rest.
What lapis lazuli is used for
Demand for lapis lazuli comes from jewellery, architecture and interiors, pigments, decorative objects, watch dials, carving and sculpture and prayer beads, which is why one price per carat never covers it.
We quote each application in the unit that trade actually buys in, by the carat, by the square metre or by the tonne.
Durability and care
Hardness 5–6; cleavage none. That combination decides what it can safely be set into.
Below about 5.5 a stone will be scratched by ordinary household dust, which is largely quartz. That does not make it unusable — it makes it a pendant, an earring or an object rather than a ring worn every day.
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on anything fracture-filled, stabilised, dyed or visibly included.
What lapis lazuli costs
As a guide, lapis lazuli trades around $1–100/ct.
That is a range, not a quote. Colour, size, clarity, cut and origin move the figure a long way inside it, and the only honest price is one given against a specific stone. Send us what you need and we will price it.
Questions
Is lapis lazuli treated, and how?
Dyeing and waxing are common on pale material. Dyed jasper ("Swiss lapis") is a known imitation.
Where does lapis lazuli come from?
Sar-e-Sang, Badakhshan, Afghanistan — mined for 6,000 years, Ovalle, Chile and Baikal, Russia. Origin affects price, so we name the locality rather than the country on every quote.
Is lapis lazuli hard enough to wear every day?
Not really. At 5–6 on the Mohs scale it is softer than the quartz dust in ordinary household dirt, so it scratches with wear. It suits pendants, earrings and objects better than a daily ring.
How much does lapis lazuli cost?
Indicatively $1–100/ct. Colour, size, clarity and origin move the price a long way within that, so treat it as a range and ask for a quote against a specific stone.
What is lapis lazuli confused with?
Most often Sodalite, Dyed jasper, Reconstituted lapis and Glass. A refractive index of 1.50 (lazurite) and a specific gravity near 2.7–2.9 separate it quickly.
What is lapis lazuli used for besides jewellery?
architecture and interiors, pigments, decorative objects, watch dials, carving and sculpture and prayer beads. Each of those trades buys it in a different form and a different unit.
Related stones
Looking for lapis lazuli?
Tell us the size, the quality and what it is for. We source it, photograph it and quote it — with the locality named.
Ask about lapis lazuli