Sunday, February 26, 2012

Precious and semi-precious colored gemstones Deep Blue

A number of gemstones occur in blue, with different depths of color and tone. A few gemstones are found with about the deep blue of the earth from space. The only gem which I think is closest to the color you suggested is Lapis Lazuli. Since many commercially available gemstones semi-precious stones are dyed and otherwise treated to create colors in stone, I will first describe stones that are found naturally in the deep blue.

Lapis lazuli is a gem of a use since antiquity. Think of some of the ancien blues used by the Egyptians who used both pencil and blue glass ornaments. This is a "massive gem, which means that it is not crystalline, but rather made of many small particles bonded together.

The best blue Deep Purple comes from Afghanistan and is very close to the color of the ocean. Recently, a form called "denim lapis" has been offered but this is the gray-blue material which was rejected as years ago, of poor quality. Some types of lighter and more gray pencil come from Chile

Gem grade "lapis is not a precious stone, but not be economic. Gem grade is the richest of color, generally without pyrite (fools gold) showing and pure color throughout the gemstone cut. Some people consider pure dark blue lapis pyrite without the spark of the best, while others provide a value of pure dark blue stones with a smooth display and pleasing to the eyes of pyrite.

The pyrite in lapis gives a glint of gold in each grain of this fools gold. Going a bit 'down quality pencil with the pure dark blue color may have white streaks. These stones will look like your picture suggested by the clouds added to the blue.

The more pure lapis varies from dark blue lower the value becomes. The so-called "denim lapis" is a marketing term used to sell this stone. Personally, though much lower than the price of higher grades, the mix of good material "denim works well in jewelry less costly and is quite attractive. The material is colored something like stonewashed jeans and I suppose that is where the name "denim lapis" origin. "Sodalite" is close to the color of the pencil, but generally black with white material with variations in the rock.

"Lazuli" is a rare mineral crystals that form a deep blue. This is not a semi-precious stone and is of greater interest to mineral collectors. Lapis Lazuli is giving the mineral its rich color. Another selection of mineral collectors is "blue", a mineral that is a blue semi-precious stone but adds color to a couple of gems mixed greens and shades of blues as "Eilat Stone", a stone soft enough sometimes sold As semi-precious. The stones which are the main showing the dark blue is indicated. For use in jewelry, Lapis Lazuli and Sodalite qualify only in the range of colors.

To see more lapis or any stone which this response is sufficient to search the web. For better stones, I suggest you say something like "gem grade lapis. Cut stones like opal, lapis, tiger eye, black onyx, etc., are called cabochons. Cabochons cut stones are flat or domed, unlike faceted stones like diamonds, sapphires, blue topaz, etc. As a note, some sites call the stones "gem grade" when in reality the stones are of inferior quality. Also, be aware that many cabochon stones are dyed and treated to look down to type of material like natural stone more valuable.

Other blue stones, like "Agatha" shows sometimes blue, but most is a pale blue to medium blue. Any really dark blues probably dyed. "Tanzanite is a gemstone faceted cut crystal. The color varies from pale blue to electric blue. This is not inexpensive in better grades." Lolitas "is a faceted stone that is not very expensive, but do not show a deep blue violates well-cut stones. The color varies depending on which direction you look through the gem.

"Spinel" is mostly thought of as a stone "class ring" and a lot of artificial joint is used in those rings. Spinel is a natural stone but rarely saw a deep blue color is beautiful. Spinel can also be red. "Tourmaline" is a faceted gemstone and colors are all over the rainbow.

A kind of blue is called "indicolite" and can be very pale to very dark blue. Other blue stones or gems that are considered or are too light blue to match the ocean view from space: blue topaz (treated to get the dark blue), Aquamarine (pale blue), turquoise and blue zircon ( heat treatment to make it blue).

One note on semi-precious stones: some of the "gems" like sapphire can cost less than a pencil as a bud or joint, for example. The price all depends on the quality of the particular stone. Most of all, quality for quality, precious stones like diamond, sapphire and ruby will be much more expensive than other stones. A semi-precious stone can vary a few dollars to several hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on quality, for example, "Opals".

Some semi-precious stones as "Agatha" will command higher prices for the stones particularly beautiful, but also compete more closely with precious gems. What we like is all in the eyes of the wearer! Lapis Ocean as seen from space is a beautiful gem.

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