Lapis Lazuli: Meaning, Quality & How to Spot Fakes
Lapis lazuli is one of the oldest gemstones in human history — ground into ultramarine pigment for Renaissance painters, carved into Tutankhamun’s mask, and still one of the most requested stones in our studio. It is also one of the most faked. Here is how to buy it with your eyes open.
What you are actually buying
Lapis is a rock, not a single mineral: a mix of lazurite (the blue), calcite (the white streaks) and pyrite (the gold flecks). The “perfect” lapis look — deep uniform blue with scattered metallic gold — comes from a narrow quality band mined mostly in Afghanistan.
Quality drivers, in order:
- Depth and uniformity of blue — deeper, more even blue costs more.
- Pyrite distribution — small, glittering, well-spread flecks add value; large dull brassy patches subtract.
- Calcite — white marbling lowers value (unless it forms an intentional pattern).
How to spot dyed or fake lapis
Cheap “lapis” is usually dyed howlite or reconstituted stone dust. Three quick checks:
- The acetone test: rub a cotton swab with nail-polish remover on an inconspicuous spot. Real lapis does not bleed; dye transfers onto the swab.
- Color in the cracks: dyed stone shows darker blue pooling in fractures and around beads’ drill holes.
- Price that’s too good: a deep-blue, flawless lapis strand for the price of a coffee is not lapis.
Our lapis pieces are natural stone, and we say so on every product page — if a listing cannot tell you the stone is natural, ask why.
Meaning, briefly
Lapis has carried meanings of truth, clarity and friendship for millennia — a good gifting stone for someone starting a new chapter. We take meanings as poetry, not medicine; the real value is in wearing a stone that is genuinely old, genuinely blue, and genuinely yours.
Care
Lapis is porous and only moderately hard (5–6 on the Mohs scale). Wipe with a dry soft cloth, store separately from harder stones, and keep it out of ultrasonic cleaners and chemicals. See our full routine in how to clean sterling silver jewelry.
Browse our lapis lazuli pieces — filter by Lapis Lazuli on any category page.