Iolite

Item Description

I think most people who are familiar with gems have heard of Iolite. It's actually the gem purple/blue variety of Cordierite, but you almost never see the word Cordierite on any gemstone labels. The word Iolite when translated from Greek literally means "violet stone", and it's easy to see why this gem got its name. These gems are sometimes known as "water Sapphire" in various corners of the gem world, but it is truly gem grade Cordierite. Iolite is strongly pleochroic and shows a strong blue color one direction, a violet color another direction, and a yellowish color in the third direction. This particular gem is from Brazil, and is virtually eye clean with a standard "Oval Brilliant" cut. It's not easy to find clean carat Iolites on the market in this size, and this particular gem does show decent pleochroism when rotated on its various axes.