THE MAGIC OF LAPIS LAZULI

Over the years, lapis lazuli has been one of my favorite gemstones. There’s something magical about lapis; its beauty and enigma have always inspired me.

Historians believe the link between humans and lapis lazuli stretches back more than 6,500 years. The gem was treasured by the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. They valued it for its vivid, exquisite color, and prized it as much as they prized other blue gems like sapphire and turquoise.

The best lapis lazuli typically comes from Badakshan, a province in present-day Afghanistan, is a forbidding wasteland of mountains, bare of any vegetation. Humans make their way there to seek one thing only: the azure treasure that is fine lapis lazuli.