| A number of gemstones occur in blue colors with | | | | as "Eilat Stone", a fairly soft stone sometimes |
| various depths of color and hues. A few | | | | sold as semi-precious. The stones mentioned are |
| gemstones are found with close to the deep blue | | | | the main ones showing the dark blue color you |
| of the earth from space. The one gemstone I | | | | indicated. For use in jewelry, only Lapis Lazuli and |
| believe is the closest to the color you suggested | | | | Sodalite qualify in that color range. |
| is Lapis Lazuli. Since many commercially available | | | | To see more of lapis or any stone mentioned in |
| semi-precious gems are dyed and otherwise | | | | this answer, simply search the web. For better |
| treated to create colors in the stone materials, I | | | | stones, I suggest you say something like "gem |
| will first describe stones which occur naturally in | | | | grade lapis". Stones cut like opals, lapis, tiger eye, |
| deep blue colors. | | | | black onyx, etc., are called "cabochons". |
| Lapis Lazuli is a gemstone from use since ancient | | | | Cabochons are flat or domed cut stones, unlike |
| times. Think of some of the blues used by the | | | | faceted stones like diamonds, sapphire, blue topaz, |
| ancien egyptians who used both lapis and blue | | | | etc. As a note, some sites call stones "gem |
| glass in ornamentation. This is a "massive" | | | | grade" when in fact the stones are of lower |
| gemstone, meaning it is not in clear crystals but | | | | quality. Also, be aware that many cabochons |
| rather made of many small particles bonded | | | | stones are dyed and treated to make lower |
| together. | | | | grade material look like the more valuable natural |
| The best deep purple blue comes from | | | | stones. |
| Afghanistan and is very close to the ocean color. | | | | Other blue stones, like "Agate" will sometimes |
| Recently, a form called "denim lapis" has been | | | | show blue color but most is more a pale blue to |
| offered but this is the grayish light blue material | | | | medium blue. Any really dark blues are likely dyed. |
| which was rejected as poor quality years ago. | | | | "Tanzanite" is a faceted gemstone, cut from clear |
| Some of the lighter and more gray grades of | | | | crystals. The color ranges from pale blue to a |
| lapis come from Chile. | | | | deep electric blue. This is not inexpensive in better |
| "Gem grade" lapis is not a precious stone but will | | | | grades. "Lolite" is a faceted gemstone which is not |
| not be inexpensive. Gem grade is the richest of | | | | very costly but does show a deep purple blue in |
| color, generally without pyrite (fools gold) showing | | | | well cut stones. The color varies with the direction |
| and pure color across the cut gem. Some people | | | | you look through the gemstone. |
| consider pure dark blue lapis without the sparkles | | | | "Spinel" is mostly thought of as a stone for "class |
| of pyrite the best while others give equal value to | | | | rings" and lots of manmade spinel is used in those |
| pure dark blue stones with a uniform and | | | | rings. Spinel is a natural stone rarely seen but one |
| eye-pleasing display of pyrite. | | | | color is a deep and lovely blue. Spinel may also be |
| The pyrite in lapis gives a golden twinkle from | | | | red in color. "Tourmaline" is a faceted gemstone |
| each speck of this fools gold. Going a bit down in | | | | and colors are all over the rainbow. |
| quality, lapis with the pure dark blue color may | | | | A blue type is called "Indicolite" and may be pale |
| have white streaks. These stones will look | | | | to very, very dark blue. Other blue stones which |
| something like your suggested photograph with | | | | are considered either precious gems or are too |
| the clouds added to the blue. | | | | light in blue color to match the ocean view from |
| The more the lapis varies from the pure dark | | | | space are: Blue topaz (treated to get the dark |
| blue the lower the value becomes. The so-called | | | | blues), Aquamarine (paler blue), Turquoise and Blue |
| "denim lapis" is a marketing term used to sell this | | | | Zircon (heat treated to make it blue). |
| stone. Personally, though much lower in price than | | | | A note about precious and semi-precious gems: |
| higher grades, the mix of nice "denim" material | | | | Some of the "precious gems" like sapphire may |
| works well in less costly jewelry and is pretty | | | | cost less than a gem quality lapis or spinel, for |
| attractive. The material is colored something like | | | | instance. The price all depends on the quality of |
| stone washed blue jeans and I suppose that is | | | | the particular stone. Over all, quality level by |
| where the name "denim lapis" originated. "Sodalite" | | | | quality level, precious gems like diamond, sapphire |
| is close to the color of lapis but generally more | | | | and ruby will be much more expensive than the |
| blackish with variations with white material in the | | | | other stones. A semi-precious stone may range in |
| rock. | | | | a few dollars to several hundreds or thousands of |
| "Lazulite" is an uncommon mineral which forms | | | | dollars depending on quality, such as with "Opals". |
| crystals of an intense deep blue. This is not a | | | | Some of the semi-precious stones like "Agate" will |
| semi-precious stone and is of more interest to | | | | command higher prices for especially beautiful |
| mineral collectors. Lazulite is the mineral giving | | | | stones but will not compete even closely to |
| Lapis its rich color. Another mineral collectors | | | | better precious gems. What we like is all in the |
| choice is "azurite", a deep blue mineral which is not | | | | eye of the wearer! Lapis like the ocean seen |
| a semi-precious stone but adds color to a few | | | | from space is a lovely gemstone. |
| gemstones of mixed green and blues shades such | | | | |