Your guide to iolite
Click here to see some iolite Jewellery.
iolite
Iolite is transparent, gemstone quality variety of the mineral Cordierite. However due to its strong pleochroism (trait brought on by its chemical structure etc), from one way it can look purple/blue and the other way it will look clear. As such iolite is notoriously difficult to cut. Richer blue colours will fetch more money, but compared to other gemstones iolite is relatively affordable.
Viking sailors and explorers used iolite as the worlds first polarising filter, they could use this to determine the exact position of the sun and navigate safely across the oceans. Despite this amazing trait it is little known as a gemstone.
