Blue precious and semi-precious stones with good performance are relatively rare in the earth's crust. Despite this, their colors and properties are varied. Thanks to them, blue crystals become part of collections, decorative items and jewelry, allowing you to complete any look from a mysterious evening to a light everyday one.
Precious blue stones
Precious stones are rarely found in nature. Used to make jewelry. In our country, 7 minerals are classified as precious stones. Only 2 of them can have a cornflower blue hue:
- Blue diamond is a very rare stone, the cost of which starts from 10,000,000 rubles per carat. The natural mineral is mined only in South Africa and no more than 1 copy per year.
- Sapphire is a cornflower-blue gem, a type of corundum. The price of natural stone starts from 20,000 rubles per carat. Sapphire is able to protect its owner from envy, deception, improve financial condition, and bring good luck.
CONTENT
- Assessing the color and quality of blue gemstones
- Blue gemstones perfect for everyday wear Sapphire
- Tourmaline (indigolite and paraiba)
- Aquamarine
- Spinel
- Turquoise
- Blue Diamond
- Chalcedony
- Eremeevit
- Dumortierite
- Sapphirine
- Hawk's eye
- Blue jadeite
- Tanzanite
- Moon rock
- Iolite
- Apatite
- Larimar
- Benitoite
- Zircon
- Lapis lazuli
- Topaz
- Opal
- Lazulite
- Grandidierite
- Blue akoya pearl
- Azurite
- Kyanite
- Labradorite
- Sodalite
- Sillimanite
- Shattuckite
- Smithsonite
- Vivianite
- Halite
- Hemimorphite
- Will speed up
- Cavansite
Blue is one of the rarest colors in nature. However, blue stones are always in demand in jewelry. People have been adorning themselves with jewelry for centuries, but the quality and variety of stones available today is amazing.
This ring features royal blue sapphires with an unenhanced center stone weighing over 3 carats and matching natural stones on the band. © Aharoni Jewelery
This article is about assessing the quality of blue gemstones, both popular and well-known types, as well as rare examples. Plus, you'll learn which stones work best for rings and other jewelry, and which ones should be kept in a collection for display only.
Semi-precious blue minerals
Semi-precious stones are minerals from which jewelry is also made, but they are much more common in nature and are not rare.
Among the semiprecious stones of cornflower blue color, the following specimens can be distinguished:
- Blue chalcedony (sapphirine) is a mineral of light blue, azure shades, which has a matte or translucent structure. It is able to endow its owner with calmness, patience, give longevity, and find love. The cost of 1 carat chalcedony starts from 6,000 rubles.
- Turquoise is a gem that can change its shade depending on age. The young stone has a light, almost white color, then becomes sky blue (the most valuable specimen), and then greenish. This is an opaque sample with veins and inclusions, 1 carat of which costs 1,500 rubles. Protects the owner from various types of injuries and brings good luck in trading.
- Lapis lazuli (heavenly stone) is a dark cornflower blue gem with white or purple inclusions. Lapis lazuli is a feminine stone that restores hormonal levels and helps to bear and give birth to a healthy child. Lapis lazuli size of 1 carat costs 300 rubles.
- Aventurine is an opaque cornflower blue mineral with golden veins and sparkles. It is the strongest protective talisman, enhances the positive qualities of the owner, gives good mood and clarity of mind. Aventurine of 1 carat size costs 300 rubles.
- Aquamarine is a transparent, heavenly-colored crystal that looks like a piece of ice. It is able to change its color depending on the viewing angle from light blue to bright blue. The gem has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. The cost of an aquamarine weighing 1 carat is from 4,000 rubles.
- Benitoite is a rare transparent mineral from blue to dark cornflower blue with pronounced pleochroism, similar in appearance to sapphire. It helps you build a career, become famous in your field, and gain recognition. The cost for 1 carat is about 65,000 rubles.
- Kingfisher jade is a variety of sky-colored jadeite, the main deposit of which is located in Guatemala. Its cost per 1 carat is about 10,000 rubles. It is believed that jadeite brings happiness to the owner.
- Iolite is a natural imitation of sapphire, a transparent gem of a cornflower blue or violet hue. Improves family relationships, calms the nervous system, helps in the treatment of mental illnesses. Price – about 1000 rubles per carat.
- Girazole is a transparent variety of blue opal. Peruvian opal is an opaque sea green mineral. Cost – from 10,000 rubles. The gem is capable of maximizing the talents of its owner.
- Blue quartz teaches you to accept the situation and easily pass the tests that fate presents. Price – from 500 rubles.
- Tanzanite is a variety of zoisite, a representative of a dark blue, violet, purple hue. They are mined only in one place - Tanzania. Price – 27,000 rubles per 1 carat. It has strong pleochroism and pronounced alexandrite effects (changes color depending on lighting). Tanzanite influences the internal development of a person and reveals awareness.
- London Blue Topaz is a variety of topaz that looks like the evening sky, obtained by irradiating blue topaz with neutrons. Price – from 1000 rubles per carat. It is a stone of optimism, friendship, spiritual purity and joy.
- Tourmaline - has different shades, there are 2 blue varieties: cornflower blue elbaite and dark blue indigolite. A mineral of spiritual development that helps develop consciousness and creativity. Price – from 4000 rubles per carat.
- Starlite is a bright cornflower blue variety of zircon. Promotes the development of memory and observation skills. Price – from 4000 rubles per carat.
- Spinel - has different shades, including blue. Spinel protects the human soul from demons and purifies thoughts. Cost – from 50,000 rubles.
- Irnimite is a type of jasper of heterogeneous texture of a cornflower blue hue with colored veins and spots randomly located on the surface of the gem. Price – from 6000 rubles per carat.
To view the photo gallery:
Blue chalcedony
Turquoise
Lapis lazuli
Aventurine
Benitoite
Kingfisher jade
Iolite
Girazole
Blue quartz
Tanzanite Starlite
Spinel
Irnimit
How to recognize a fake
Mechanical chronometer "Tuareg".
The clothes and headband are made of Afghan and Pamir lapis lazuli. The price of lapis lazuli is not too high; they are mostly counterfeited niili, which are quite expensive. On the other hand, the mineral itself is often passed off as more expensive stones - sapphire, sodalite.
How to distinguish a fake? Most often, lapis lazuli is imitated using painted glass or plastic. A more complex “art” is the refinement in laboratory conditions of a low-grade sufsi gem or azurite, similar to the heavenly stone.
If a scammer is going to pass off a mineral as a sapphire, then he will most likely simply rely on your ignorance of what lapis lazuli stone looks like and how it differs from more expensive rocks.
The most reliable way is to show the gem to a jeweler or geologist. But not everyone has this opportunity, so you will have to expose the scammers yourself.
- Natural minerals are rarely perfect. Under a magnifying glass, even on the most ideal crystal you can see scratches, cracks, and small inclusions.
- Immerse the jewelry in water. It will form drops on the plastic, and the natural stone will be evenly moist.
- The stone sparkles brightly in the sun's rays, but not in artificial light. A fake will always shine.
- If you squeeze the mineral in your fist, it will remain cold, but the glass or plastic will heat up from the warmth of your hands.
You need to check the authenticity of your jewelry not only to be sure that you did not buy a piece of plastic for the price of a stone. Only natural lapis lazuli has magical and healing properties. Never fake. If you bought a precious mineral and were given lapis lazuli, then, of course, you can use it as a talisman. But sapphire or sodalite have completely different energy and other magical features.
Decorative and ornamental blue crystals
Ornamental minerals are the least valuable stones that are used to make decorative items or jewelry.
- Onyx is an ornamental gem from which bracelets, beads, candelabra, and photo frames are made.
- Dumortierite is a light blue mineral used to produce high-quality porcelain, souvenirs, and jewelry.
- Kyanite is a cornflower blue or violet-blue gemstone, widely used in industry or for creating decorative items.
- Azyrite is a natural imitation of lapis lazuli, used in jewelry.
- Cubic zirconia, moissanite are artificial imitation of diamonds, including blue ones.
- Alpanite is a cornflower blue mineral that is used to make jewelry.
See photos of stones:
Onyx
Dumortierite
Kyanite
Azyrit
cubic zirconia
Alpanit
Jewelry with lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli is considered an inexpensive ornamental material. The main application is stone cutting art. Various decorative items are cut from the mineral, and facing mosaics are made from thin plates.
Jewelry with a heavenly stone is a rare occurrence. Only certain workshops do this, since the cost of the stone is very low compared to precious metals for its setting. Another thing is jewelry or all kinds of handmade products. Lapis lazuli is sold in the form of beads of various shapes, from which talented handcrafters create beautiful jewelry.
If you still want to purchase jewelry with lapis lazuli, then such a product can be made to order. The cost of such decoration will depend on the complexity of the work, the metal and the prices of the workshop itself for its services:
- A silver ring will cost from 13 thousand rubles. You can order a product made of solid stone without a metal frame. Such a ring costs about 17-23 thousand rubles.
- Earrings start at 4,000 rubles.
You can opt for a set of jewelry. Earrings and a ring with lapis lazuli inserts will cost an average of 18-20 thousand rubles.
Designer beads made from the heavenly mineral will cost approximately 11-25 thousand rubles, depending on the type of stone. The necklace will reach a price of 30-35 thousand.
Sacred Blue Stone
On the territory of Russia, on the shore of Lake Pleshcheevo in Pereslavl-3alesky, there is a sacred blue stone, which is about 2000 years old. This 12-ton gray boulder turns blue after rain (the surface is made of biotite and quartz, which change color when they absorb water).
They tried to get rid of the boulder several times. In the 18th century it was buried in the ground, but it ended up on the surface (external waters washed away the ground).
In the 19th century, it was planned to be used for the construction of the Spiritual Church and was transported across the lake on ice. The ice could not stand it, and the stone fell underground. However, after 70 years he found himself on the surface again. Over time, as a result of geological processes, the boulder began to go underground.
Since ancient times, people have turned to him to make a wish and gain health. To make your wish come true, you should bring a gift (a coin) to the stone and tie a ribbon on the tree closest to it, which is sold in souvenir shops near the boulder.
Place of Birth
Lapis lazuli stone from Afghanistan interspersed with pyrite and calcite.
The oldest place is the border of the northern part of Afghanistan and Tajikistan: Badakhshan province. Work is still underway there, and the profit is provided by the Taliban movement and political figures.
Since lapis lazuli is of volcanic origin, it is mined in places where there were previously volcanoes:
- In Russia, the Baikal region (southern part) is considered the place for blue tit production; a lot of it was found along the banks of the Slyudyanka River. The appearance of the crystals is very similar to those from Badakhshan, but the pattern is a little blurry.
- There is another Afghan deposit, near the Pamir Mountains, but the minerals there are not of the same high quality as those from Badakhshan.
- Lapis lazuli is also mined in other countries of the world: Africa, Chile, Namibia, India, China, but the quality there is also not very high and the value is less.
Healing and magical properties of blue stones
Cornflower blue stones have several common properties that are characteristic of both ornamental and precious representatives.
They help get rid of dissatisfaction with your own life, discover extrasensory abilities, and improve your creative abilities. They also protect against other people’s magical interference: the evil eye and damage.
They also have medicinal properties:
- help with cardiovascular diseases;
- reduce blood pressure;
- strengthen the immune system;
- have a beneficial effect on the psycho-emotional sphere;
- treat skin diseases (eczema, allergies, psoriasis).
Blue gems are suitable for air and water zodiac signs. For women with the names Nadezhda, Svetlana, Victoria, for men - Peter, Boris, the gem will bring good luck and financial well-being.
To watch a video about the properties of some stones:
Rules of care
You need to care for jewelry with soft blue gems in the same way as other minerals:
- they are protected from contact with perfumes, cosmetics, and household chemicals;
- store separately, especially not very hard stones (moonstone, turquoise, corals);
- wash only with soap and water.
Almost all blue stones are afraid of the sun - with such exposure they fade or fade. Therefore, jewelry is not worn to the beach or pool.
Compatible with other minerals in rings, bracelets, earrings and other jewelry
The energy of each mineral has its own frequency, so it is not surprising that stones can enhance each other’s effects or, on the contrary, combine poorly. Minerals of blue-blue colors have few restrictions and recommendations for combinations, but they still exist:
- turquoise, sapphire, lapis lazuli, topaz are not compatible with beryl, jade, malachite, sardonyx;
- aquamarine is not compatible with topaz, agate, malachite, ruby, jasper, carnelian, heliodor, garnet, heliotrope, diamond, aventurine, emerald, chrysolite, zircon.
Aquamarine, sapphire, turquoise and lapis lazuli go well together. Favorable combinations of turquoise, lapis lazuli and sapphire with diamond, emerald, opal, ruby, heliotrope, amethyst, garnet, jasper, chrysoprase, heliodor, moonstone, rose quartz.
Top 13 most beautiful blue stones in the video below.
Blue stones are a wonderful gift from nature that can be used to your advantage if you choose a mineral that suits you and wear it in the right combination with other stones.
Why are stones of this color range valued among jewelers?
Shades of blue combine harmoniously with frames made of white, yellow, and blackened metal. Yellow and white gold and platinum are traditionally used to frame precious stones. Light shades of blue look better in yellow metal frames, while bright and dark shades look better with silver frames.
If among precious minerals large specimens are very rare, then inexpensive decorative and semi-precious stones can be of any size, which gives more opportunities for a variety of jewelry designs. The setting for inexpensive gems can be either patterned or laconic, because these stones, as a rule, are self-sufficient. They attract the eye with their unique beauty and can be used without a frame at all in the form of beads and elastic bracelets. Blue gems look beautiful in ethnic and antique-style jewelry sets.
