THE
BRAZILIAN CONNECTION
IOLITE
INFORMATION, HISTORY and LORE
CHEMISTRY- (Mg,Fe2)
Al4Si5O18
SPECIES- Cordierite
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY-
Orthorhomic
REFRACTIVE INDEX- 1.522 -
1.578
HARDNESS- 7 - 7.5
SPECIFIC GRAVITY- 2.53 - 2.78
BIREFRINGENCE
- 0.008 - 0.012<
CLEAVAGE- Distinct 1
direction
HEAT SENSITIVE- No
WEARABILITY- Very Good
SPECIAL
CARE INSTRUCTIONS- None
ENHANCEMENTS- None
Jewelry designers have long searched
for an affordable gem to complement the rich blues so prevalent in
fashion, from denim to velvet. They found it in iolite, an unusual gem
that offers rich blue color that won't break the bank. Named from the
Greek ios ,
or violet, iolite at its best is a rich violet blue that might remind
you of better-known gems like tanzanite and sapphire.
Iolite is also known as dichroite and
cordierite.
Although it is
still not well known, iolite has a long history. When
Leif Eriksson and the other legendary Viking explorers ventured far out
into the Atlantic Ocean, away from any coastline that could help them
determine position, they had a secret gem weapon: iolite.
The Viking sailors used thin pieces of iolite as the world's first
polarizing filter. Looking through an iolite lens, they could determine
the exact position of the sun on cloudy days, and navigate safely to
their new worlds and back. Since those Vikings most probably
found the American coastline long before Columbus, iolite
achieved a practical importance that easily compensates for the fact
that it produces a blank page in the books of myth, wisdom, the zodiac scheme or the relation between planets and
mankind.
Iolite
is usually a purplish blue when cut properly, with softness to the
color that can be quite attractive. The favorite color is that pretty,
violet blue that is unlike other gemstones. Pleochroism
is very pronounced in iolite and is seen as three different color
shades in the same stone. In the viewing an iolite stone, the colors
violet blue, yellow gray and a light blue can be seen, all a result of
pleochroism. Its
hardness
of 7-7.5 makes it a desireable jewelry stone, though the presence of
cleavage must be taken into account and some care exercised, like
protection from blows.
Many legends, beliefs and
folklore surround the Iolite gemstone.
Iolite is
believed to be the gemstone of happiness and joy. It is also believed
to posess Feng Shui properties that help build relationships with
others. For people who believe in the special powers of gemstones, this
gemstone is supposed to cure sore throat, varicose veins and various
skin eruptions and blisters. We have already mentioned above, the
special properties of Iolite that gave it the name of the 'gemstone of
the Vikings'.
The main
sources of Iolite are India, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and
Brazil.
The Vikings probably mined iolite from
deposits in Norway and Greenland. Currently the
gemstone is available in considerable quantities and this has resulted
in Iolite having a moderate price tag. However larger sizes of good
quality Iolite are beginning to show upward price trends and will
therefore make good buys now.
Sinkankas lists the wholesale
value of fine blue violet stones in the 1 to 5 carat range as $60 to
$80 per carat and $100 to $150 per carat for stones 5 to 10 ct. He also
notes that stones larger than 8 carats are rarely eye clean. Federman
is more conservative, listing retail values as $100 and $150 per carat,
respectively, for those size ranges. Writing in 1990 he reports that
German cutters have been buying iolite rough in quantity to capitalize
on an expected surge in popularity and price.
Loose Iolite Gemstones
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If you have any specific needs, comments or suggestions, please email
The
Brazilian Connection
or call us at - 1-570-925-2121 / cell# 1-570-441-1512
