Iolite Gemstone
Iolite
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.
To an inexperienced gemstone buyer, Iolite and Tanzanite might look alike but these two gemstones are quite different. Ioilite is more sturdy and durable as compared to Tanzanite but yet cheaper than Tanzanite.
This gemstone is called the gemstone of the Vikings, it derives it’s name from the Greek work ‘ios’ which means violet. Iolite, known as the Vikings’ compass, due to it’s ability to determine the direction of the sun on overcast days. When the legendary Viking mariners sailed the wide ocean, they used thin pieces of iolite as the world’s first polarizing filter. Looking through an iolite lens, they could determine the exact position of the sun, and navigate safely.
The natural mineral has little commercial use. When clear, iolite is cut as a gem.
Synthetic magnesium iolite has a low thermal expansion and is used as a semirefractory material because of its resistance to thermal shock.
The Iolite gemstone posesses a very important feature that is called pleochroism. This property posessed by a few other gemstones too, causes the gemstone to show different colors when viewed from different angles and sides. Iolite is a fascinating stone with an interesting past. Ancient mariners used iolite as a compass to guide their way to sea. They noted that it would show different hues of blue-violet when held to the northern and southern skies. Ancients believed that it could unlock creativity in an artist.
Use this stone to discover the lost parts of self and your inner treasures. It is an excellent stone for shamanic journeying or to assist in recovering information from past lives.