Lapis-lazuli (3.3kg)
PUMI2295-1
The best Lapis-Lazuli come from the north of Afghanistan (Badakhshan province). The mines in this narrow valley, often covered by snow, have been exploited for 6000 years! The Sumerians and then the Egyptians seemed to value this incredibly blue stone, as many statues and beads, have been found in the tombs of the most important peoples. This mineral is composed of 14 different elements, but the most important is the blue Lazurite. The colour of lapis lazuli is one of the most important criteria for determining its value. The high quality stones have an intense and uniform blue colour, without traces of white veins or brown spots. To do this, stones are usually cut for jewellery; the purer and more vibrant the color, the more precious the stone is considered. And a stone of this size is never of an immaculate blue without a Calcite vein or golden points of Pyrite... But that's what makes its signature.
