Graduated Lapis Lazuli Statement Necklace
A striking vintage necklace composed of substantial polished lapis lazuli beads, beautifully graduated from smaller stones at the back to wonderfully bold disc-shaped stones at the centre. The extraordinary natural blue of the lapis makes this a wonderfully sculptural statement piece.
Details
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Date: Vintage 1980s
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Material: Lapis lazuli
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Colour: Rich ultramarine and cobalt blue with natural variations and inclusions
- Length: 46 cm end to end
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Construction: Graduated polished stone beads
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Design: Smaller irregular beads graduating to large flattened circular and oval stones
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Fastening: Silver-tone hook fastening
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Marks: none
Condition
Great vintage condition.
As a natural stone, the lapis displays variations in colour, pattern and inclusions from bead to bead. There are also visible surface characteristics and natural fissures to some of the stones, which should be noted as part of the individual character of the necklace.
Please refer closely to the photographs, which form part of the description.
History
Lapis lazuli has been treasured for thousands of years for its extraordinary intense blue colour. The stone was used by some of the world’s earliest civilisations for jewellery, decorative objects and amulets and was particularly prized in ancient Egypt.
Historically, some of the finest lapis came from the mountains of present-day Afghanistan, a source that has been worked for thousands of years. The stone was so highly valued that, when ground into pigment, it produced natural ultramarine — once among the most expensive pigments available to European artists.
Its characteristic appearance ranges from intense royal and ultramarine blue to stones containing pale calcite veining and tiny golden-coloured pyrite inclusions.
The dramatic graduation and generous scale of the stones in this necklace allow the natural beauty of the lapis to take centre stage.
Heritage House Note
We particularly love the unapologetic scale of this necklace. The wonderful graduated stones and extraordinary depth of blue make it a fabulous statement piece — equally striking against a crisp white shirt, a simple black dress or worn with linen in summer.
