BY RUSS KANIUTH
Apatite comes in an array of color variations from all over the world, but the most sought out in lapidary is the blue/blue-green from Madagascar. The fractured vibrant cobalt blue color just catches everyone’s eye! The vivid blue matched up with silver makes a great combination for silversmiths and wire wrappers, and the fractured look gives it that added texture for a pleasing design to work with.
This material can be pretty tricky to work with for several reasons, you will have to contend with the natural fracturing of the stone, and it’s rather soft as well, so the odds of the material breaking tends to be greater than normal. With that being said, shopping for this material will have to be done with great caution, seeking out the most solid pieces you can find. I would suggest when buying this material always ask the seller if it has been stabilized.