lapis lazuli cuff linkslapis lazuli cuff links

Lapis Lazuli Value, Price, and Jewelry Information


Lapis lazuli has been used since ancient times and remains popular today. This gemstone has been prized for its bright, blue color and used for inlay and intarsia as well as for pigments for cosmetics and paintings. Its contrast and eye appeal is irresistible. Today, jewelry is its predominant use.

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HomeGemstonesLapis Lazuli Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

Lapis lazuli has been used since ancient times and remains popular today. This gemstone has been prized for its bright, blue color and used for inlay and intarsia as well as for pigments for cosmetics and paintings. Its contrast and eye appeal is irresistible. Today, jewelry is its predominant use.

lapis lazuli cuff links
Cuff links, lapis lazuli, American or European, mid-19th century. Gift of Lee Simonson, 1938. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Public Domain.

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Lapis Lazuli Value

Lapis lazuli value is determined almost exclusively by color. A deep, intense, blue with violet tones would be at the apex. Fine grained, uniform specimens can attain a smooth, highly polished surface not seen in lower grades.

Lapis lazuli, Afghanistan (solid blue), Chile (mottled), cabochons 5 to 25 carats. Photo © Joel E. Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

Calcite inclusions almost always lower the value, but pyrite inclusions enhance it in the minds of many collectors and jewelry lovers. Although enthusiasts may debate how much pyrite is ideal in lapis lazuli, most would agree that the less calcite, the better the stone. Calcite can be seen as streaks or patches within the darker blue or can predominate in the mix, giving the rock an overall lighter blue shade.

Polish quality and faceting artistry also affect value.

“Anel Espada D'ogum,” lapis lazuli and 950 silver ring by Renato Brunelli Graseffe
Lapis lazuli and 950 silver ring. Photo by Renato Brunelli Graseffe. Licensed under CC By 2.0.

For more information on lapis lazuli value factors, consult our buying guide.

In this video, Jake Talve-Goodman of The Concierge Gemologist introduces viewers to the world of lapis lazuli and discusses its appearance, composition, and history.

What is Lapis Lazuli?

The ancient Roman natural historian Pliny the Elder called lapis lazuli "a fragment of the starry firmament," in admiration of its colors, deep blue with twinkling bits of gold. Lapis lazuli (also simply referred to as lapis) is actually a rock composed of lazurite, haüyne, sodalite, and nosean, all members of the sodalite group of minerals. (Lazurite itself may be considered a sulfur-rich haüyne).

Lapis lazuli carvings. Photo © Joel E. Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

Archeologists have found lapis lazuli beads, jewelry, and carvings at numerous sites, some dating as early as 6,000 BCE. The use of this gem material for art and jewelry probably originated in Afghanistan and spread to Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and the Roman world. Many of the gemstones referred to as sapphire or sapphirus, "blue stone," in the Latin-speaking world of classical antiquity may have actually been pieces of lapis.

lapis lazuli seal - Mesopotamia
Stamp seal with monsters, lapis lazuli, Mesopotamia, Neo-Assyrian/Neo-Babylonian or later, second half of 8th-6th century BCE or later. Gift of Nanette B. Kelekian, in memory of Charles Dikran and Beatrice Kelekian, 1999. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Public Domain.

What Color is Lapis Lazuli?

The colors of lapis range from a medium, grayish blue to intense, royal blue, to deep indigo, with varying amounts of white and brassy gold from calcite and pyrite inclusions. Some purists desire a specimen that's almost entirely lazurite, a deep and uniform blue, but most seek a piece with a moderate to generous sprinkling of golden-colored pyrite.

lazurite and pyrite on marble - Afghanistan
Lazurite crystal (lapis lazuli) and pyrite on marble. 5.2 x 4.0 x 3.7 cm. Sar-e-Sang District, Koksha Valley, Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. © Rob Lavinsky, www.iRocks.com. Used with permission.

Does Lapis Lazuli Make a Good Jewelry Stone?

With a hardness of 5-6, lapis lazuli needs some care as a jewelry stone. Nevertheless, you'll find this gemstone commonly set in rings and bracelets. Use protective settings for these jewelry pieces and reserve them for occasional wear.

Even with protective care, lapis stones in rings or bracelets may need periodic re-polishing. On the other hand, you can wear pendants, earrings, brooches, and tie or lapel pins daily with little worry.

Carved and polished lapis lazuli cabochons: Afghanistan (30 x 40 mm); Chile (20 mm); Afghanistan (30 x 40 mm). Photo © Joel E. Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

Lapis Jewelry Trends

It's not surprising that a stone whose popularity has extended across continents and millennia can reach new markets. Denim and country-western clothing have opened a niche for what once was considered low-quality, virtually unsalable material from Chile. Cleverly dubbed "denim lapis" now sells very well.

Bracelet featuring blue denim lapis lazuli and lavender fluorite gemstones. Photo by Christine Leiser. Licensed under CC By 2.0.

Jewelers frequently set lapis lazuli in silver and create modestly priced pieces. However, there is a growing trend to emulate the artisans of earlier times and set fine-quality stones in gold, complementing diamonds or colored gems.

Lapis makes a good choice for men's jewelry because of its rich, blue color (which makes it easy to color coordinate). It's fairly tough, doesn't easily show wear, and takes an excellent polish.

lapis cuff links
Pair of 14k yellow gold cuff links with lapis lazuli. Photo courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Anzardo's Fine Arts.

Lapis lazuli's rich history and symbolism also makes it a popular jewelry choice for anyone fascinated with the romance of gemstones.

Are There Any Synthetic Lapis Stones?

Lapis lazuli has been successfully synthesized by Pierre Gilson of Paris in France and Carroll Chatham in the United States. Many large jewelry supply houses offer the synthetic version, with or without pyrite.

What Gemstones Can Imitate Lapis?

Although synthetics are modern inventions, lapis lazuli simulants or imitations go back at least as far as Ancient Egyptian times. Archeologists have discovered artifacts with glass backed with blue paint and blue ceramic materials in lieu of the natural stone. Even the celebrated death mask of King Tutankhamun (1332-1323 BCE), which includes real lapis lazuli inlay for the eyes, has blue-painted glass bands in the nemes or headdress. These imitations are a testament to the ancient demand for lapis.

King Tut Burial Mask
King Tutankhamun burial mask, on display at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt. Photo by Mark Fischer. Licensed under CC By-SA 2.0.

Modern-era simulants include enamel, glass, plastic, and a variety of dyed gems such as howlite and jasper, which is misleadingly referred to as "Swiss lapis."

Sodalite is the only natural gemstone readily available in large enough sizes with a deep enough blue to be a convincing lapis simulant.

Acid testing can be used to determine if a lapis specimen is natural. A drop of hydrochloric acid (HCI) on lapis lazuli releases H2S gas, the odor of rotten egg.

Streak testing a natural lapis specimen should leave a light blue streak.

Both acid and streak testing are destructive tests and should only be conducted by a professional gemologist.

table with inlay
Liberty table with polychrome marbles and lapis lazuli inlay, on display at the Villa Pignatelli Museum in Naples. Photo by Carlo Raso. Public Domain.

Where is Lapis Lazuli Found?

Only Afghanistan and Pakistan yield the finest lapis lazuli in commercially interesting quantities. The Colorado material is quite fine but of limited availability.

lapis lazuli - Colorado
Lapis lazuli from Italian Mountain, Colorado, USA, on display at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, Colorado. Photo by James St. John. Licensed under CC By 2.0.
  • Badakshan, Afghanistan: among the oldest operating mines in the world (7,000 years). Lapis occurs in large blocks and crystals in white matrix. Source of the world's finest lapis.
  • Pakistan: solid, deep blue color with no white calcite spots and just a sprinkling of brassy, yellow pyrite.
  • Colorado, USA: stringers in limestone, dark color, with much pyrite, from Italian Mountain in the western part of the state.
  • California, USA: blue-gray with white spots.
  • New York state, USA.
  • Studyanka River, Mongolia: light blue lapis, with pyrite.
  • The Chilean Andes: gray and blue mixture, color inferior to Afghan material.
  • Italy; Labrador, Canada; Mogok, Myanmar.
lapis rough
Lapis lazuli: back row (left), New York State (ca. 2 inches across), (right), Afghanistan (ca. 3 inches); front row, Afghanistan, Chile, Afghanistan. Photo © Joel E. Arem, PhD, FGA. Used with permission.

Stone Sizes

Afghanistan has produced rough blocks of lapis up to 100 kg with fine color. One block of Chilean material, found in a Peruvian grave, was 24″ x 12″ x 8″ in size. A 40.5 cm tall vase of fine blue material is in the Pitti Palace, Florence, Italy.

How to Care for Lapis Jewelry

The old standby of a soft brush and mild soap is recommended for cleaning lapis lazuli. Avoid mechanical cleaning, such as steam or ultrasonic systems, and chemical solvents.

lapis cabochon
21.74-ct, deep blue lapis lazuli oval cab, Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of liveauctioneers.com and Jasper52.

Joel E. Arem, Ph.D., FGA

Dr. Joel E. Arem has more than 60 years of experience in the world of gems and minerals. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Mineralogy from Harvard University, he has published numerous books that are still among the most widely used references and guidebooks on crystals, gems and minerals in the world.

Co-founder and President of numerous organizations, Dr. Arem has enjoyed a lifelong career in mineralogy and gemology. He has been a Smithsonian scientist and Curator, a consultant to many well-known companies and institutions, and a prolific author and speaker. Although his main activities have been as a gem cutter and dealer, his focus has always been education. joelarem.com


Barbara Smigel, PhD. GG

Barbara Smigel is a GIA certified gemologist, facetor, jewelry designer, gem dealer, gemology instructor and creator of the well-regarded educational websites acstones.com and bwsmigel.info.


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