Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization.  More »

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness? - (FJ.4734)Medium: Lapis Lazuli   « Less

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization.  More »

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness? - (FJ.4736)Medium: Lapis Lazuli   « Less

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization.  More »

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness? - (FJ.4738)Medium: Lapis Lazuli   « Less

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization.  More »

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness? - (FJ.4832)Medium: Lapis Lazuli   « Less

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization.  More »

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness? - (FJ.4863)Medium: Lapis Lazuli   « Less

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization.  More »

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness? - (FJ.4864)Medium: Lapis Lazuli   « Less

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization.  More »

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness? - (FJ.4865)Medium: Lapis Lazuli   « Less

Lapis lazuli (Arabic/Latin- blue stone) was one of the most popular gems used in ancient jewelry; most notably in Egypt. It was mined under primitive conditions in difficult  More »

Lapis lazuli (Arabic/Latin- blue stone) was one of the most popular gems used in ancient jewelry; most notably in Egypt. It was mined under primitive conditions in difficult terrain, where it appears irregularly in limestone. It's beautiful blue shades are interspersed with glittering pyrite, making lapis a perfect compliment to other gems. On this handsome necklace the contrast of stone to pearl is very effective. The cultured pearls seem even very delicate, with a feminine touch, nestled in between the more masculine lapis. The refined luster of the pearls combines with the opaque richness of the lapis, like clouds floating upon a deep blue sky, or light reflected on the sea, to create a magical and mesmerizing effect. - (FJ.6507)Medium: Lapis Lazuli-Pearl   « Less

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization.  More »

Necklace composed of genuine lapis lazuli beads. Beautiful as the moonlit sky shot through with golden stars, lapis lazuli has been treasured since the dawn of civilization. Its sources are few, mostly in eastern mines of what is now Afghanistan, and its rarity made it the favored jewel of ancient royalty. The kings and queens of Mesopotamia had their cylinder seals carved of lapis; the Egyptians made their most precious amulets from it. So eager were the Egyptians for objects made from lapis that they created an imitation paste from the ground stone. During the Renaissance, the rich ultramarine of the great master paintings was also made from powdered lapis, brought overland on arduous journeys that took years. Poets from ancient Sumer through the modern age have used it as metaphor of beauty and rarity. Besides its appealing loveliness, the gem is thought to have curative powers and is used as a remedy for fever, gall-stones, sleeplessness and above all, melancholy. Who, looking upon this splendid stone could feel anything but happiness? - (FJ.4676)Medium: Lapis Lazuli   « Less

Of vivid green hue often banded with black, malachite is a hydrous copper carbonate first mined by the ancients in the 4th millenium BC. The famous mines of King Solomon in  More »

Of vivid green hue often banded with black, malachite is a hydrous copper carbonate first mined by the ancients in the 4th millenium BC. The famous mines of King Solomon in the Wadi Arabah were an important source of malachite, which was used for jewelry and talisman as well as a cosmetic for the eyes when powdered. The Egyptians prized it particularly for this reason, and members of nobility, both men and women, applied it to their eyelids with ivory sticks. Not only did it make the wearer more attractive, but it was also believed to prevent infections and other diseases of the eye, for which purpose it is still used today. For centuries, malachite has been employed specially as a talisman for children, though to protect them from all the diseases and difficulties of the very young. In Europe today, malachite is frequently hung around the necks of babies, or placed above the cradle where they sleep. It is also said to relieve toothache and pains of the mouth. Because of its high copper content, malachite when worn helps the body to overcome problems caused by deficiencies of this material, especially arthritis. In Imperial Russia, it was used extensively for jewelry and objects de vertu, particularly by the house of Faberge. - (FJ.1741)Collection: Beaded Necklaces Medium: Malachite-Gold   « Less