Lapis Lazuli
LAPIS LAZULI is made up of lazulite, pyrite and calcite. It gets its name from the Arabic word allazward, meaning 'sky-blue'. Lapis was certainly popular in 3100 BC when the Egyptians used it in medicines, pigments (ultramarine), cosmetics (eye-shadow) and, of course, jewellry. It is a vividly blue gemstone, often flecked with golden pyrite. The world's main supply is still in Afghanistan, which has been the prime producer for 5,000 years! With a hardness of 5.5 and a royal blue colour, lapis lazuli remains a wonder today.