I do hope you all had a wonderful holiday. It was very special here.
In one of the previous posts someone ask about the stone Lapis. I thought I might discuss it a bit this time and give you all just a little general information on this fantastic gemstone.
The set we are featuring to the left is a beautiful piece of deep blue lapis along with green turquoise set on crisp white pearls, done by Silver Creations. Guess this is their version of "surf and turf".
Lapis as we all refer to it is actually Lapis lazuli. The more you see it you think that it might have come straight out of the Arabian Nights. It's a deep blue with golden inclusion of pyrite which shimmer like the night sky.
Lapis lazuli is regarded by many people as the stone of friendship and truth.
It is an opaque rock that mainly consists of diopside and lazurite. It came into being millions of years ago during the metamorphosis of lime to marble.
Lapis is between a 5 and a 6 on the Mohs (hardness) scale. When polishing this stone the cutter must handle it gently and not subject it to much pressure. There is no need for the wearer to worry; a lapis lazuil that has grown matt from being been worn too much can easily be re-polished at any time to recapture the high gloss.
The best raw Lapis stones still come from the steep Hindu Kush in the north-east Afghanistan. The lumps of blue rock, taken from the mountains by blasting, are brought down into the valley in the summer months by mules. You will also find deposits in Russia, the Chilean Andes, Italy, Mongolia and the USA. Really good qualities are still rare all over. That is why the prices of jewelry with lapis lazuli can vary widely. The prices vary depending on the beauty and color of the stone. The most expensive are the deep blues, with crystals of pyrite that shimmer. Then the stones with a rough grain will be lower in price.
Lapis has weathered the changes in the fashion world thru the years. It is very versatile and loved by both men and women alike.
I own several Lapis pieces, all of which happen to be the deep blue color, but I have a daughter in law who happens to be fair complected that prefers the lighter color commonly know as denim lapis. No matter what your preference, you should make this stone a staple in your jewelry box.
Visit our site to see the lapis pieces we have available ranging from the larger piece featured here to the small more petite pendents.
15 comments:
Gayla,
What artist on your jewelry page is your favorite.
I truly love them all, for different reasons of course. Gale gives me wonderful unique pieces when I want a truly Native American feel.
LaJeune uses fantastic stones then adds the cut outs to her sterling silver giving her pieces more of a modern look.
Debbie Penrod fits my needs when I want a smaller more subtle piece in gold.
My Zuni artists give me the best of the best in inlayed pieces, which move easily from a white shirt and jeans to my suits for meetings.
So I guess it would be hard to say,it depends on what my mood that day is! All are wonderful and I have been very selective about featuring artist that bring the most fascinating pieces available today.
The picture on your web site of the gray cowhide box is very beautiful. The question I have is why is there a wrinkle on the center of the lid. My eyes are not the best, but this is how it appears to me.
Gayla
We met in Fort Worth Texas at the stock show last year. My mother and I each purchased a Christine Alexander jacket from you and your husband. The time you took to explain the warranty and the ease to take care of the garments was a testament to you customer service. We both enjoy our jackets and the way we were treated.
Thank you and hope to see you again in Fort Worth
Thank you so much for checking out our wooden boxes. These are all hand made by my father. No two will ever be exact. His does fantastic detail work.
The wrinkle that you think you see on the gray box is actually the way the hair is on the cowhide.
It is somewhat like a hair calic on a human. Every cowhide is unique so he put this one so the hair is slightly raised in the center of the box. It looks fantastic-----
Again thank you for visiting our web site.
Horse Princess,
I am so glad you and your Mom have enjoyed your jackets. Christine Alexander has a wonderful product so it's easy for me to feel confident selling it to my customers.
We are always thrilled to meet our buyers and get to know them on a personal level.
I do hope we'll see you again !!
Thanks so much.
Gayla
I have personally met Gale at the San Antonio stock show. I understand why you love and carry his jewelry. He is a master craftsman and a all around nice human being. My husband and I sat for a few stories and to chat with him. You are so lucky to be in business with such a wonderful person. We purchased a few items from him and think they are perfect. We will be checking your web site off and on for unusual jewelry.
Gayla
Do you find that a particular hide does not look good on the chests. I thought I would ask because shark hide would look very nice on one.
Gayla
The mongolian lamb pillow looks very soft. I was wondering if that fur sheds.
Anonymous,
I'm go glad you had an opportunity to meet Gale in person. He and his wife are wonderful people and like you we are thrill to be acquainted with them.
Please do check out our site and we continue to add new items.
Thanks
Anonymous,
Most all hides look wonderful on the wooden chests. Usually the trick is to choose a wood finish and brings out the best coloration in the hide. Some hides as easier to work with than others. Shark certainly would lend an exotic feel to the chests. My Father has been wood working for years and he seems to have an eye for pulling it all together. I am glad you took the time to view his work.
Thanks !
Anonymous,
The Mongolian lamb pillow is fantastic. These are made exclusively for us. The artist is out of Texas. The lamb sheds a little but truly not as much as you would think. I carry one of our Spoole purses with the Mongolian lamb on it and even as much as I abuse it the shedding is a minimal amount.
We will be adding new pillows in the weeks ahead ! Come back and check them out.
Thank you !
Gayla
My husband and I did not see you this year at the Fort Worth stock show. Will you be comeing back or should we just order on line. My husband bought me the denim zebra Christine Alexander shirt. I love this shirt and was waiting for you to come back to purchase one for my mother.
How many ounce leather does Max use on the front flap of the Silver Tip purses. That seems to be the area on the purse that would get the most abuse.
C.A. Zebra,
I'm so sorry we missed you at Fort Worth this year. We have been traveling less and really concentrating on our on line store. Please do visit the site for the denim Zebra shirt for your mom. We will be more than happy to take excellent care of you there!
I appreciate you taking the time to chat with us on the blog.
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