Lapis Lazuli - Appreciation Jewelry

From the royal family to the ordinary people: Do you still want to miss the appreciation of the lapis lazuli?

From ancient to modern, Chinese and foreigners, lapis lazuli is the "patent" of the nobility, a symbol of rights and wealth. As a raw material for the traditional pigment “Qunqing” leads to high prices for ultramarine. In Michelangelo's famous painting "burial", the ribbon originally thought to be blue, because it is difficult to afford expensive pigments, it has to be changed to white. The lapis lazuli is also one of the seven treasures of Buddhism. In recent years, lapis lazuli has gradually entered the ordinary people's home from the "patents" of the nobility, and more and more people have noticed the collection value and appreciation space of lapis lazuli.

What is lapis lazuli

The lapis lazuli from Latin is a gemstone in which the colors are dark blue, purple-blue, sky blue, green blue. It is mainly composed of lapis lazuli, calcite and pyrite. Natural lapis lazuli can be seen under the magnifying glass, and often contains pyrite spots and white calcite agglomerates.

It is produced in the United States, Afghanistan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Chile, Canada, Pakistan, India and Angola. According to the data, lapis lazuli was introduced to China from Afghanistan through the Silk Road.

The cultural heritage of lapis lazuli

In ancient China, lapis lazuli was a rare gem called many names. "Shiya," said: "The lapis lazuli color is like the sky, complex and scattered, sparkling and shiny, just like the stars are in the sky." The ancient lapis lazuli symbolizes power and wealth,  only when it reaches a certain level can it be owned. The texture of lapis lazuli is soft, so the craftsmen often engrave on the surface to highlight their luxury.

Because the lapis lazuli "color likes the sky", it was the royal emperor's product, whether it was the pilgrimage, so the ancient lapis lazuli in ancient China was a symbol of the majesty of heaven.

The lapis lazuli is also one of the seven treasures of Buddhism. It was used as a jewel of the ruling class in ancient Egypt and the Babylonian period. In the ruins of the pre-Egypt dynasty (about 4,500-3100 BC), jewels made of lapis lazuli were excavated, showing the long history of human wearing lapis lazuli. At the same time, lapis lazuli is also regarded as a “heart shaped engagement rings” by the Arab countries, and Afghanistan regards it as the “national stone” of its own country.

Analysis of the reasons for the appreciation of lapis lazuli

1, high-grade raw materials

The lapis lazuli has been associated with Hetian jade, jade, coral and turquoise, which called the high-end raw materials of the five major crafts. Among the top five high-end raw materials, the highest overall market price is jade, followed by Hetian jade, the price of coral has risen in recent years, about 80% of Hetian jade; the price of turquoise is about 50% of Hetian jade and the price of lapis lazuli is close to turquoise.

2, profound cultural heritage

 Lapis lazuli is abundant in Afghanistan, and there is no lapis lazuli deposit in China. Therefore, lapis lazuli used since the Han Dynasty usually comes through trade or tribute. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, lapis lazuli carving began to flourish, and it was mostly used in beads and loyal beads. In recent years, the lapis lazuli beads, the Maitreya, Luohan, Ruyi, the incense burner, the bracelet, etc. are often seen in the auction market, but the amounts are small.

3. Gem-grade lapis lazuli is rare

The lapis lazuli has many veins and many annual mines, but the good materials are rare. At least 80% of the lapis lazuli produced each year does not reach the gem level. Its ornamental nature has been recognized since ancient times, especially in the Qing Dynasty when it was used by the court.

What kind of lapis lazuli is easier to add value

 If you want to add value, you must look for the jewel-grade promise ring for men. The commercial grade is more suitable as an ornament.

The lapis lazuli mine is rich in production, but the lapis lazuli that meets the gemstone standard is extremely rare, so if you want to invest in the value of lapis lazuli, you must choose the jewel-grade lapis lazuli to buy; many people think that the more lapis lazuli venus, the better the quality is. In fact, the opposite is true, the venus and the white line in the lapis lazuli is the impurity, so the less the white line, the better. At the same time, the fewer venus, or the more golden the color, the more uniform and finer the lapis lazuli is the best.

Many people like lapis lazuli because its blue color is full of gold and white spots. Therefore, many jewellery products will choose lapis lazuli with more impurities to design relatively low-priced and creative jewelry. If you only use it for decoration, Then this type of jewelry is very suitable.

"Gold" and "White" on the lapis lazuli: | How to choose lapis lazuli

 According to the differences in mineral composition, color and texture of lapis lazuli, it can be divided into the following four quality grades, and the quality is reduced in turn, and only the lapis lazuli grade is worth investing.

1, lapis lazuli level:

The highest quality lapis lazuli. The lapis lazuli mineral content is above 99%, does not contain pyrite, and has few other impurity minerals. The texture is dense, tough and delicate, and it is rich, pure and uniform blue.

2. Green gold level:

The lapis lazuli mineral content is generally 90%~95%, there is no white spot, it contains sparse star-shaped pyrite and a small amount of other impurities minerals. The purity, dense, delicate, concentration, uniformity and purity of color is poor than lapis lazuli.

3, Jin Kelang class:

The content of lapis lazuli minerals is significantly reduced, containing more and dense pyrite, the content of impurity minerals is increased, there are white spots and white flowers, the color concentration is obviously reduced, and it is light blue and unevenly distributed.

4, gradual stone level:

This type of lapis lazuli is the worst quality lapis lazuli jade. It contains the least lapis lazuli minerals and generally does not contain pyrite. The content of impurity minerals such as calcite increases significantly. Only the star-shaped blue distribution on the jade or blue colored and white mixed motley.

The lapis lazuli is preferred in terms of uniform color and no cracks, delicate texture without gold stars or beautiful October birthstone ring. If stars are black, dark, or has too much calcite to form a large area of white spots on the surface, the value is greatly reduced. The fine lapis lazuli texture is fine, slightly transparent or translucent, azure, covered with punctate pyrite.

Maintenance of lapis lazuli

1. After the lapis lazuli jewelry is dirty, it should never be soaked and rinsed with water. Because lapis lazuli is a granular aggregate of various minerals, if it is soaked and washed with water, the dirt on the surface of the gem will penetrate into the interior, which will change the original brilliance of lapis lazuli. After the lapis lazuli jewelry is dirty, wipe it gently with a damp cloth to remove dirt.

2, After daily removal, wipe with soft flannel, put it in the box or sealed bags possible as you can.