Buy Afghanistan Lapis Lazuli Pendant

buy High Quality Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan, hand cut and polished then set in Sterling Silver with beautiful silversmith work.

This piece of lapis lazuli is a beautiful dark blue with no inclusions of white calcite making it a stunning stone. The shine is tremendous. It is in a petite teardrop shape of 1 1/8" length by 1/2" width. It is wrapped in a scalloped sterling and backed with sterling. Travel Ore Designs Shop logo is stamped on the back along with the 925 Silver stamp. The bale is actually one of my favorites in a smooth sterling echoing the teardrop shape a bit. This piece would look great with many types of clothing styles, from formal to casual.

Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan has been the standard for high quality gems since antiquity. It continues to be so into the modern world. Lapis Lazuli also can be found in Chile, Colorado, Siberia and Burma. However, to date, Afghanistan is the highest quality in the world. This piece does not disappoint.

Lapis Lazuli is one of the January birthstone options.

Lapis Lazuli is considered a semi- precious stone slightly less rare than diamonds.

Lapis means "stone" and lazuli is a derivative of a Latin word for "blue".

Today Afghanistan Lapis Lazuli comes from the Badakhshan area. The Sar-e-Sang Mine is there and is considered one of the oldest mines in the world. It is in a very remote area, accessed by a long dirt road trip, then onward via horseback and mined on the side of a very steep mountain. The lapis lazuli vein is found in white and black marble then encased in pure white calcite.

Imagine one gem coming from one area of the world for centuries! The Ancient Sumerians Royal tombs in the Euphrates Valley were decorated with it's carvings, Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh's tombs had Afghanistan jewels, Ancient Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and Chinese all had this gem imported.

In Exodus 28:18, the Bible tells us that the High Priest's breastplate center stone was lapis lazuli. Some scholars believe that God wrote the Ten Commandments to Moses on Lapis Lazuli. Who knows about that but clearly it has been prized since antiquity and is considered one of the oldest of all gems.

All Lapidary and Silversmith work done by Travel Ore Designs Shop Artist Mark Nelson. Additional pieces can be ordered to complete a set as supplies last, and as always- one of a kind.