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Iolite

According to legend, Vikings used iolite slices to reduce glare when checking the sun’s position.

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Iolite's Pleochroism

This iolite was artfully carved to display its best qualities. – Lydia Dyer, gem courtesy John Dyer & Co

Iolite is strongly pleochroic, displaying different colors in different directions, so it can be challenging for cutters. A skilled cutter can fashion iolite to display its best violet to blue hues. - ICA

This lovely iolite is set into an attractive yellow and white gold ring. – Tino Hammid

These pieces of iolite rough will be cut into attractive gems for use in jewelry. – Robert Weldon, Steve Ulatowski, courtesy New Era Gems

This iolite is unusual for its quality and size. It weighs 18.90 carats. Fine iolite over 5 carats is relatively rare.

Iolite can sometimes contain flat, metallic inclusions. These inclusions can cause a glittery, aventurescent effect in the gem. – Robert Weldon

Though somewhat pale in color, this gray-violet iolite was skillfully carved and set into a distinctive ring. – Robert Weldon

This lovely iolite weighs 14.29 carats—an unusually large size for this gem. - Bart Curren, courtesy Tim Roark Imports

The cat’s-eye phenomenon in this iolite is the result of beneficial, properly oriented inclusions. – Robert Weldon

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