There is something about a lapis lazuli bracelet that makes you stop and look twice. The deep blue of the stone has drawn people in for thousands of years, and when you add its natural flecks of golden pyrite, it becomes even more captivating.
This month, we’re taking a closer look at lapis lazuli, a gemstone that has been treasured for its beautiful blue color and long history. For us, it is also the centerpiece of one of Coco’s hand-knotted macrame bracelet designs, where he pairs the natural stone with colorful waxed fiber and copper accents.
Coco Paniora Salinas, Rumi Sumaq founder and designer, was born in Peru and comes from a Quechua family. His jewelry is influenced by the weaving traditions of the Andes, where fiber, color and intricate handwork have long been an important part of the culture. Today, Coco adapts those traditions to create contemporary jewelry by hand in our Martha’s Vineyard studio.
What Is Lapis Lazuli?
Lapis lazuli is a deep blue rock made up of several different minerals, including lazurite, calcite and pyrite. Lazurite gives lapis its signature blue color while pyrite creates the tiny gold-colored flecks that can appear throughout the stone.
The amount of each mineral varies from stone to stone, which means lapis can have quite a range of natural patterns and color. Some pieces are a rich, almost solid blue while others have more visible white calcite or sparkling pyrite.
That natural variation is part of what makes lapis so beautiful. Each stone has its own character.
Lapis has been prized as a decorative stone and gemstone for thousands of years. Some of the world’s most important historical sources are in the mountains of Afghanistan, where lapis has been mined for more than 6,000 years.
It was particularly treasured by ancient civilizations for its intense blue color. Lapis was carved into jewelry, amulets and decorative objects and was even ground into pigment to create the brilliant blue known as ultramarine.
So when you look at a piece of lapis lazuli, you are looking at a stone with a pretty remarkable history.
Lapis Lazuli Meaning and Symbolism
Lapis lazuli has traditionally been associated with wisdom, truth, inner peace, intuition and communication.
These meanings come from traditional gemstone symbolism and spiritual practices rather than scientific evidence, but they are part of what makes gemstones meaningful to the people who choose to wear them.
Lapis is often associated with:
- Wisdom and self-awareness
- Inner peace and clarity
- Intuition
- Truth and authenticity
- Clear communication
- Listening and understanding
Lapis has also traditionally been connected with the third eye and throat chakras. For those who enjoy the spiritual side of gemstones, it can be a meaningful stone to wear as a reminder to slow down, listen to your intuition and communicate honestly.
And even if you simply love the color, there is plenty to appreciate about this beautiful stone.
Rumi Sumaq Lapis Lazuli Macrame Bracelet
Coco has created several gemstone bracelets using the same hand-knotted macrame design, including our Labradorite and Picture Jasper bracelets.
For the lapis lazuli version, he pairs a natural lapis stone with waxed fiber and copper accents. The deep blue of the stone creates a beautiful contrast with the different fiber colors, while the copper adds warmth to the design.
The Lapis Lazuli Bracelet in Blue and Green has an adjustable drawstring closure, making it easy to adjust for a comfortable fit. Like Coco’s other waxed fiber bracelets, it is designed to be worn and enjoyed as part of everyday life.
And because Coco hand-knots each bracelet himself, the finished piece has that unmistakable handmade quality that has always been at the heart of Rumi Sumaq.
A Second Way to Wear Lapis Lazuli
The Lapis Lazuli Stone Gray String Bracelet offers a completely different look. Instead of a single lapis lazuli cabochon, Coco uses natural lapis lazuli stone chips and weaves them throughout multiple strands of gray waxed fiber. The result is a more casual, textured bracelet with the deep blue of the stone standing out against the neutral gray.
Like the other macrame bracelet, this design is adjustable with a drawstring closure. The waxed fiber is durable, washable and comfortable for everyday wear. Each bracelet is hand-knotted by Coco, so the natural lapis lazuli stones and their variations become part of what makes each one special.Lapis Lazuli in Different Color Combinations
Lapis Lazuli in Different Color Combinations
One of our favorite things about this design is seeing how differently the lapis lazuli looks depending on the fiber colors Coco chooses.
The deep blue stone works beautifully with earthy colors, rich jewel tones and coastal combinations. We have the bracelet available in several colorways, so there are different ways to wear the same lapis lazuli design.
The rust orange fiber and copper accents work especially well with the blue in our Lapis Lazuli Bracelet in Rust Orange and Blue. Together, the colors have a warm, natural quality that feels right at home with the handmade character of Coco’s macrame jewelry.
Create a Custom Lapis Lazuli Bracelet
The same design is also available as a Custom Lapis Lazuli Bracelet, giving you the opportunity to choose your own fiber colors.
Maybe you want shades of blue inspired by the ocean around Martha’s Vineyard. Maybe you have a favorite color combination or want something to coordinate with a particular outfit. With the custom option, you can choose the colors that make the bracelet feel like your own.
Once you make your selections, Coco hand-knots the bracelet using your chosen colors.
We love this custom lapis bracelet because the gemstone stays the same, but the colors can completely change the personality of the finished bracelet.
Lapis Lazuli, Amethyst, Tiger’s Eye, Labradorite and Picture Jasper
Lapis lazuli is part of a small collection of gemstone macrame bracelets that Coco has designed using this hand-knotted style.
Our Labradorite Macrame Bracelet features the beautiful gray-green stone with flashes of blue and green. The Picture Jasper Macrame Bracelet has a completely different look, with warm earthy colors and natural patterns that can resemble landscapes. We also have designs featuring Amethyst, Tiger’s Eye, Chrysocolla and Goldstone, each bringing its own color and character to the same hand-knotted style.
Then there is lapis lazuli with its deep blue color and natural golden pyrite.
All seven use the same basic hand-knotted approach, but each gemstone gives the bracelet its own personality. The natural stones, colorful waxed fiber and copper accents come together differently with each design.
That is one of the things Coco enjoys about working with natural stones. The gemstone becomes the starting point, and then the fiber colors, copper accents and hand-knotting bring each bracelet together in its own way. Because Coco makes each one by hand, every combination has its own character.
A Connection Between Fiber and Stone
There is a natural connection between gemstones and the fiber techniques that have influenced Coco’s work.
Coco’s Quechua heritage is an important part of his approach to jewelry. Traditional Andean textiles are known for their intricate patterns, vibrant colors and skilled handwork. Coco takes inspiration from those traditions and adapts them to jewelry, working with materials in a very different way.
Instead of weaving wool or other natural fibers into textiles, he uses waxed cord to hand-knot jewelry. The techniques and traditions that inspire him are ancient, but the finished pieces are distinctly his own.
That combination of traditional inspiration, natural materials and contemporary design is what makes Rumi Sumaq jewelry unique to us.
Why We Love Lapis Lazuli
There is something timeless about lapis lazuli. Its deep blue color, natural golden pyrite and long history give it a character that feels both ancient and completely at home in a modern piece of jewelry.
For Coco, lapis lazuli is another opportunity to bring together natural stone, color and the hand-knotting traditions that have influenced his work. Born in Peru and raised in a Quechua family, Coco draws inspiration from the weaving traditions of the Andes and brings those ideas into the art jewelry he creates today.
And then there is the meaning that people have given it over the centuries. Wisdom, truth, clarity and communication are all beautiful ideas to carry with you.
For us, it is especially nice to see all of that history brought into one of Coco’s hand-knotted bracelets.
A natural stone with thousands of years of history.
Colorful fiber inspired by a tradition of weaving.
Warm copper accents.
And that is what makes lapis lazuli so special to us. It has a history that reaches back thousands of years, yet it feels right at home in the contemporary jewelry Coco designs here in our Martha’s Vineyard studio.
