Iolite is often mistaken for Sapphire and in the past has been called ‘Water Sapphire’... The name Iolite comes from the Greek 'ion', which means violet, but the gem was only officially named in 1812 by the French Geologist P.L.A Cordier (1777 – 1861).

When well cut, Iolite can display a purplish blue and has a tender softness in colour. The gem stone is renowned for its pleochroism, whereby different colours can be seen from different directions. The deeper and richer in colour is often considered of a higher quality and therefore demands a higher price.

Legendary Viking explorers like Leif Eriksson and others were said to take pieces of Iolite with them to help them navigate the open seas of the Atlantic Ocean and beyond. When studying an Iolite sailors were able to determine which direction they were headed as the gem due to its pleochroism; which would turn a different colour if the ship veered off course. It is said that voyages like these also saw the use of the world's first polarizing filter, which was reportedly made from the gem.

Today Iolite is mined in a variety of locations including India, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Brazil, and Zimbabwe. In Viking times the mining would have probably taken place in Norway and Greenland.

Hardness: 7-7.5, Refractive Index: 1.5