Iolite

IOLITE is the gem name for the mineral cordierite, an aluminum magnesium silicate. Originally named “water sapphire,” the word iolite is Greek for “violet stone.” It measures 7 to 7.5 on the hardness scale and is trichroic, meaning that it can appear colorless, light blue, or dark violet-blue when viewed from different angles. Viking navigators observed the sky by using thin slices of this gem to find the sun on overcast days; its ability to filter light and block out haze and mist made things appear clearer. Iolite can help one keep a calm and clear mind in the face of adversity and has been used to find creative solutions to difficult problems. Iolite is found in Sri Lanka, India, Brazil, Tanzania, and Madagascar.