Embodiments of glass ceramic articles and precursor glasses are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the glass-ceramic articles are transparent and include a nepheline phase and a phosphate phase. The glass-ceramic articles are colorless and exhibit a transmittance of about 70% or greater across the visible spectrum. The glass-ceramic articles may optionally include a lithium aluminosilicate phase. The crystals of the glass-ceramic articles may have a major cross-section of about 100 nm or less.