Ultramarine blue, or “true blue,” was once more valuable than gold. In 1824, a synthetic version called French ultramarine made the color more accessible. But ultramarine blue made from real lapis lazuli can sell for over $60 an ounce today.
Lapis lazuli is a bright blue semiprecious stone mined primarily in Afghanistan. When Business Insider visited the world's largest lapis lazuli mine there, its future was up in the air. So, how is the world's most expensive color made, and why are people paying for it?
- 00:00 - Introduction
- 00:58 - Creating Ultramarine Blue
- 02:00 - The Cennini Method
- 06:37 - Inside Lapis Lazuli Mines
- 08:15 - History of Lapis Lazuli Pigment
- 09:06 - Synthetic Options
- 11:11 - Credits
