Iolite - The Different Colors, Shapes and Sizes

Iolite is a wonderfully warm bluish violet mineral that is quite common and found in many parts of the world. Iolite has had along history and was known since the times of the Ancient Greeks.

Iolite mainly comes in two to three colors, mainly shades of violet blue or purple. However bluish violet is usually the most common of the colors that Iolite comes in. The important thing to consider with Iolite is its pleochroism; this means that Iolite can be seen as different colors depending on how you look at the stone. This distinctive attribute has made Iolite extremely practical to ancient sailors who would sail the seas without the sight of land.

For instance, the Vikings used Iolite when plotting their course with the help of the sun. They needed to look at the sun for an extended amount of time to figure out the degrees. While looking directly into the sun was not safe and impractical, they used Iolite. When looking at Iolite, one side is usually blue or bluish violet, the other side of the stone when looked through is usually transparent like water, the third side of the stone is actually a polarized filter, it has a yellow, almost honey color to it. Iolite can be known as the first sunglasses.

Iolite has becoming extremely popular in the last few years and will continue to grow in popularity due to the current sense in style and fashion. Iolite is very affordable and can be formed into many different shapes. They make great rings, bracelets and earrings.

How and Where is Iolite Formed and Found?

Iolite is very attractive gemstone that has been known to man for thousands of years. While not as popular as the other types of gemstones, Iolite has become more popular in recent years, especially to those that are looking for a beautiful blue, violet or purple stone.

Iolite is made from magnesium, iron, aluminum and silicate. Besides these elements, beryl minerals can also be found associated with it. Iolite comes in crystal form and its main attribute is its attractive color. Iolite is known as a beautiful bluish violet or even purple stone. The name Iolite comes from Greek, meaning violet.

Iolite is common in many regions; however it is mined in a few regions around the world. For the most part, Iolite is found and mined in India, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Brazil and even Connecticut.

Usually the more blue, the more in demand the stone is. It is sometimes confused with blue sapphire. Iolite is distinctive for having two separate colors when looked through, this effect is called pleochroism. It is essentially a polarization filter. Sailors would use Iolite when staring at the sun to get a course direction. In fact, famous Vikings such as Leif Eriksson used Iolite on their trips from Norway to Newfoundland.

Iolite is generally a very affordable gemstone; it is easy to mine and can be shaped and polished very simply. This has made it the new darling of the jewelry industry and many industry insiders expect it to become much popular in the coming years.