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