Lapis lazuli, prized since ancient times for its dazzling blue hue and protective properties, is attracting a new generation of admirers, including Rihanna, Kate Middleton and Jennifer Lawrence
Defined by a deep, ultramarine hue,
lapis lazuli is one of the world's oldest and most storied jewellery materials. Unusually, it's not a single mineral, but a rock composed of lazurite – responsible for its signature hue – with veins of white calcite and flecks of metallic pyrite that lend subtle marbling and a hint of sparkle.
Formed within limestone under intense heat and pressure, the finest lapis has been prized for millennia at Afghanistan's Sar‑e‑Sang mines in Badakhshan province, where miners have long sought stones with the richest colour and the fewest veins.
That geological legacy laid the groundwork for lapis' role in adornment, which stretches back to antiquity. As early as the third millennium BC, Mesopotamian rulers carved cylinder seals and amulets from the stone. In ancient Egypt, lapis graced scarabs, jewellery for the elite, and – most famously – the intricate inlays of Tutankhamun's burial mask.
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Van Cleef & Arpels Two Butterfly ring in yellow gold, diamond and lapis lazuli, and earring in lapis lazuli. Photo: Handout
Across the Mediterranean, lapis was powdered into ultramarine pigment so vivid it often cost more than gold leaf, bringing rich colour to medieval manuscripts and Renaissance altarpieces. Over in Mughal India, artisans set slabs and cabochons into pietra dura mosaics adorning palaces and monuments such as the Taj Mahal, cementing lapis' status as a symbol of power and prestige.
Fast-forward to the present day, and the lapis lazuli legacy continues to inspire designers. Unlike transparent gemstones that depend on internal reflection, opaque lapis delivers unwavering colour no matter the light – ideal for carving cabochons, beads and colourful watch dials. Celebrities like
Rihanna and
Jennifer Lawrence are fans, and none more so than
the Princess of Wales , who sported a pair of lapis hoop earrings by London-based label Shyla at Cardiff's Principality Stadium during the Wales vs England Six Nations match in March this year.
In London, Ananya – founded by Central Saint Martins graduate Ananya Malhotra – draws on lapis' healing aura in its long-running Chakra series. Each energy point of the body aligns with a gemstone, and lapis, linked to the third‑eye chakra, takes centre stage. In the white gold Chakra earrings, a deep blue lapis cabochon is cradled by concentric rings of baguette and pavé diamonds, mimicking the spinning wheel of energy. A matching bracelet is strung with polished lapis beads, anchored by a diamond-set bar clasp.
Jacquie Aiche Evil Eye pendant with lapis lazuli. Photo: Handout
French maison Van Cleef & Arpels has woven lapis into two recent lines. The Lucky Summer Wave necklace alternates slices of lapis lazuli, turquoise, chalcedony, white mother-of-pearl and diamonds on a beaded yellow gold chain – the rich blue segments providing depth to an otherwise coastal palette. In the brand's Perlée Couleur collection, lapis appears as a high-dome cabochon on both an open bangle and a matching ring – each framed with the maison's signature gold beads and a trim of round brilliant diamonds.
Opaque lapis delivers unwavering colour no matter the light
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Lapis lazuli, prized since ancient times for its dazzling blue hue and protective properties, is attracting a new generation of admirers, including Rihanna, Kate Middleton and Jennifer Lawrence
Defined by a deep, ultramarine hue, lapis lazuli is one of the world's oldest and most storied jewellery materials. Unusually, it's not a single mineral, but a rock composed of lazurite – responsible for its signature hue – with veins of white calcite and flecks of metallic pyrite that lend subtle marbling and a hint of sparkle. Formed within limestone under intense heat and pressure, the finest lapis has been prized for millennia at Afghanistan's Sar‑e‑Sang mines in Badakhshan province, where miners have long sought stones with the richest colour and the fewest veins. That geological legacy laid the groundwork for lapis' role in adornment, which stretches back to antiquity. As early as the third millennium BC, Mesopotamian rulers carved cylinder seals and amulets from the stone. In ancient Egypt, lapis graced scarabs, jewellery for the elite, and – most famously – the intricate inlays of Tutankhamun's burial mask. Advertisement Van Cleef & Arpels Two Butterfly ring in yellow gold, diamond and lapis lazuli, and earring in lapis lazuli. Photo: Handout Across the Mediterranean, lapis was powdered into ultramarine pigment so vivid it often cost more than gold leaf, bringing rich colour to medieval manuscripts and Renaissance altarpieces. Over in Mughal India, artisans set slabs and cabochons into pietra dura mosaics adorning palaces and monuments such as the Taj Mahal, cementing lapis' status as a symbol of power and prestige. Fast-forward to the present day, and the lapis lazuli legacy continues to inspire designers. Unlike transparent gemstones that depend on internal reflection, opaque lapis delivers unwavering colour no matter the light – ideal for carving cabochons, beads and colourful watch dials. Celebrities like Rihanna and Jennifer Lawrence are fans, and none more so than the Princess of Wales , who sported a pair of lapis hoop earrings by London-based label Shyla at Cardiff's Principality Stadium during the Wales vs England Six Nations match in March this year. In London, Ananya – founded by Central Saint Martins graduate Ananya Malhotra – draws on lapis' healing aura in its long-running Chakra series. Each energy point of the body aligns with a gemstone, and lapis, linked to the third‑eye chakra, takes centre stage. In the white gold Chakra earrings, a deep blue lapis cabochon is cradled by concentric rings of baguette and pavé diamonds, mimicking the spinning wheel of energy. A matching bracelet is strung with polished lapis beads, anchored by a diamond-set bar clasp. Jacquie Aiche Evil Eye pendant with lapis lazuli. Photo: Handout French maison Van Cleef & Arpels has woven lapis into two recent lines. The Lucky Summer Wave necklace alternates slices of lapis lazuli, turquoise, chalcedony, white mother-of-pearl and diamonds on a beaded yellow gold chain – the rich blue segments providing depth to an otherwise coastal palette. In the brand's Perlée Couleur collection, lapis appears as a high-dome cabochon on both an open bangle and a matching ring – each framed with the maison's signature gold beads and a trim of round brilliant diamonds. Opaque lapis delivers unwavering colour no matter the light
