Iolite (Cordierite) – a violet stone for travelers and philosophers

History and origin

In ancient Scandinavian stories about brave Vikings who conquered not only the northern seas, but also sailed far to the south, there is a mention of a wonderful stone for sailors, which more than once helped those who had lost their way to find their way home during storms, bad weather and in the absence of the sun. This stone was discovered by Leif Eriksson the Happy, ruler of Greenland and great traveler.

In general, violet stone is loved in northern Europe and England. The Danish Queen Margaret and the English Princess Diana wore amazing jewelry with it. And the largest iolite (177 g) is on display at the British Museum in London.

In Russia, this stone also has its own history. In the mid-19th century, the famous Russian geologist N.I. Koksharov. after an expedition to the Urals, he announced the discovery of “Varangian” stone there, albeit in small quantities.

Place of Birth

Iolite is found very deep underground in rocks formed by heating and squeezing rock. Cordierite deposits are scattered throughout the planet.

• In Poland, near Mount Ovl, faint purple, almost colorless stones are found. In German Bavaria, iolites are bright, rich purple in color. The best and largest are mined in Norway!
• And the highest quality (clean and transparent) Varangian stones are found in India, Burma, Sri Lanka and on the island of Madagascar.
• In North and South America (in Brazil) this gemstone is also mined, but it is smaller and the mining volumes are small.
• Russia is not so rich in iolite. Its deposits are in the Urals, Karelia, the Kola Peninsula and Altai.

Violet stone is very fragile, making it difficult to mine.

Etymology

In mineralogy, the term for this stone comes from the scientist Cordier who described it. In addition to the direct connection with the name, this name also contains the words “corundum” and “pleochroism”.

Iolite is a variety of cordierite with a deep blue color. The name “iolite” itself is derived from the Greek words “iol” (“purple”) and “lithos” (stone).

Physical properties

The properties of iolite were discovered by the ancient Vikings - they noticed that the fragile stone can be easily processed, cut into thin plates, which are then used as an optical lens that determines the location of the sun even after it has set.

The mineral (most often it comes in the form of a crystal from 2 to 12 cm long) contains magnesium, aluminum, iron, silicon and oxygen, which determine its color: from transparent with a slight blue to deep purple. Moreover, depending on the cutting method and viewing angle, they can change color, they are light, and therefore good for jewelry.

Myths and legends

Blue crystals have always been attractive to lovers of amulets and jewelry with semi-precious stones. Iolite is less known than similar gems. Translated from Greek, its name means “violet stone”, corresponding to the shade.

The violet tints of the pure blue mineral were appreciated by kings, pioneers and sages, knowing that the stone would be endowed with the ability to make the right decisions. He was prescribed supernatural properties - to give hope to the disillusioned, to help find balance in difficult situations, to lead to the intended goal.

There is a legend that the stone was considered most valuable by the ancient Vikings or Varangians, who used it instead of a compass in the foggy northern seas. Manuscripts testify that the mineral helped sailors find Greenland, whose shores delighted them with fresh greenery among the ice. They were able to distinguish the cardinal directions in any weather (by the angle at which the light falls and the glare appears) and determine their location among the waves.

Since the 19th century, the semiprecious mineral received a scientific description and systematization, after which it was no longer classified among the varieties of other, more well-known gems. It became known to the scientific elite under the “sign” of cordierite - this is how the French mineralogist Pierre-Louis Antoine Cordiere immortalized his name.

Although the Viking stone is cheaper than sapphires, it fascinates true connoisseurs with the depth of its dark purple crystals, reminiscent of the endless depths of the ocean. The film crew of the film "Titanic" considered this gem as a possible insert into the "Heart of the Ocean" pendant, along with a blue diamond and Indian sapphire, but then they preferred a tanzanite of a suitable shape.

It has long been known how to distinguish iolite from blue and purple stones - by specific iridescence. But it is still called “false sapphire” in India, “water amethyst” in Madagascar, and “violet jade” in China.

This is interesting!

It became the most popular ornamental and jewelry stone in the 20th century. But there are examples of cordierite among processed cabochons and ancient amulets, as well as in the form of blue hypnotic inserts in the eye sockets of idols and snakes (guardians of treasuries).

Type of mineral

Different types of this gem arise due to the presence of a certain chemical element in the composition of the mineral. Thus, even small particles of hematite in a crystal give the stone a red tint, magnetite causes the mineral to flare up with bright stars, and apatite and zircon lead to yellowing. Interestingly, depending on the color, the “Varangian stone” has a new name:

• If a blue stone has an internal ray that shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow, and a white vertical stripe in the middle, then it is a “cat’s eye” and is cut in the form of a cabochon.
• “Water sapphire” is a beautiful name for a blue, pale violet, colorless stone, sparkling with a glassy luster, with a high level of purity.
• And the juicy dark blue is “lynx sapphire.”
• “Bloody Iolite” is almost cherry in color and is due to the presence of cerasite in the stone.
• It is called “inkstone” if it is poorly cut and has an almost black color.

Also read: Heliodor - a stone born of the Sun

Classification

The following types of iolites are distinguished by color:

• cordierite – endowed with blue and blue shades; iolite classic;
• pseudo-sapphire – a gem of bright neon color;
• water sapphire is a light, almost blue colored stone.

A specimen of any color with a stripe in the middle (cat's eye effect) is a lynx stone.

The main wealth of iolite is blue. The richer it is, the more expensive the stone.

Healing capabilities of the stone

The healing properties of violet stone have been known for a long time. He can be called a “home psychotherapist” because he is able to normalize a person’s psycho-emotional state, help get out of a stressful situation and depression, cope with insomnia and get rid of bad habits.

The procedure in this case is simple: you need to pick up the stone, warm it and examine all its features for 15 minutes, thinking only about the good. Nervous tension will go away unnoticed, a state of peace and balance will come, the person will feel inner harmony and confidence.

And getting rid of insomnia is even easier - you need to put a stone at the head, and soon your eyes will close on their own, and peaceful sleep will come. If there is a psychological imbalance within, it is best to wear jewelry with iolite. For women, it can be earrings or a ring, a brooch or a hair clip. For men, you can buy cufflinks or a tie pin.

Lithotherapists claim that the “Varangian stone” is able to cleanse the body of “internal debris” that has accumulated over many years, raises hemoglobin levels, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and liver, and the condition of hair and nails. And if you put a stone in a silver frame in a glass of water overnight and drink it the next morning on an empty stomach, then cleansing of the body is ensured.

Where is the stone used?

Semi-precious iolite is shared among jewelers and collectors of mineralogical collections.

Jewelers make a full range of jewelry from the mineral:

• Iolites of medium quality become cabochons, while higher quality ones are cut into facets. Such iolite is capable of exhibiting trichroism and richness of color, but only with proper cutting. Therefore, the master must take into account the direction of the axes of the crystal lattice.
• Iolite is combined with diamonds, tourmalines, sapphires, and tanzanites.
• The material of the frame determines when and how to wear the gem. Silver items are appropriate in the office and during negotiations. Gold or platinum - at an evening reception or high-status social event.

Ring with iolite
Calm-dark iolites are suitable for men. Cufflinks or a ring will organically complement your wardrobe.

Magic properties

Sorcerers and shamans have long noticed iolite, thanks to its enormous magical power.

Today, it is of interest, first of all, to those who live by soul, who have connected their professional activities with the spiritual sphere: teachers, artists, musicians, art critics, performers, philologists and historians. It is often called the “stone of the muses”, because it activates creative activity, makes one fantasize, dream, and create works “beyond the bounds” of the real.

The gem's field of activity is family and relationships between spouses. If a man and a woman are connected by interest in each other, then an amulet made of violet stone will help ignite passion, help maintain love interest in each other for a long time, which means it will protect against betrayal, deception, show the truth of feelings, and save the family hearth.

It is very necessary for those who have lost hope, have lost all meaning, all goals, because it gives strength and instills self-confidence.

This stone brings positive energy to everyone who touches it. Therefore, it creates a friendly atmosphere in the work team, helps to gain authority among colleagues and bosses, and protects from gossipers and envious people.

Interesting! Those who constantly carry iolite with them gradually develop the ability to foresee events.

Talismans and amulets

The magical power of the “violet stone” has made it a favorite among sorcerers and psychics, who are more attracted by its “generosity” in the gift of foresight. Iolite also turned out to be useful for ordinary people:

• It is called the “stone of the muses” because it helps to find inspiration, which is important for people in professions such as musicians and artists, writers of all stripes, including journalists, actors, sculptors and other creative individuals.
• The stone also helps to achieve professional success for everyone who deals with information processing - teachers and scientists, historians and art critics.
• Wearing iolite guarantees clarity, accuracy and correctness of actions, which is useful for people who have no right to make mistakes due to the nature of their work - surgeons and obstetricians, airplane pilots and air traffic controllers, sappers, snipers and so on.
• Don’t forget about the title “Viking Compass”. Anyone who goes on a long journey, no matter by water or land, should take iolite with them so as not to go astray and always find their way home.
• The “violet stone” is also the guardian of marital fidelity and the “peacemaker” in family conflicts.

Iolite patronizes men with the names Alexey and Konstantin, Victor and Anton, Vsevolod and Nikita, Andrey and Sergey, Vitaly and Oleg, Valery and Mikhail, Vladimir, Vladislav and Evgeny. He also especially singles out women with the names Victoria and Angela, Svetlana and Lyudmila, Ksenia and Evgenia, Yulia and Elena, Yana, Vera and Sofia.

Compatibility with other stones

To choose the right jewelry with several gems, you need to know the laws of their compatibility:

1. All stones correspond to a certain earthly element: earth, air, water and fire. Each element is responsible for its own physical and spiritual part in a person. You cannot combine opposing elements: fire and air, earth and water.
2. The element of man must necessarily be combined with the element of stone.

Interesting to know! Back in the Middle Ages, the alchemist Nettesheim was able to connect the planets of the solar system with the elements, and then determine which stones belonged to which planet (elements).

Also read: Dioptase - emerald's double

Reference! Transparent, white and blue iolites are associated with the Moon, violet and lilac - with Mercury, blue - with Jupiter, with an optical effect or iridescent highlights - with Uranus.

The significance of iolite in astrology

The planet of the mineral is Jupiter. Iolite is an excellent amulet for any person. It is recommended to wear it as a talisman for people born under the astrological signs of Sagittarius, Taurus, Pisces, Libra, Aquarius and Gemini. Iolite especially favors Sagittarius and Pisces.

• Sagittarius in stone will find a source of inspiration.
• Pisces will be able to strengthen their intuition, which will help protect themselves from troubles and dangers on the path of life.
• Taurus, like Pisces, can use the stone as a talisman.
• With the help of the mineral, Libra will be able to move up the career ladder and protect themselves from the machinations of envious people and ill-wishers.
• Iolite will teach Aquarius to dream and feel with their hearts, which will have a beneficial effect on their relationship with their other half.
• Gemini will be able to become more rational and practical. This will allow you to weed out useless things, and use the saved time to resolve important issues.

There are also no contraindications for other zodiac signs, and if you really like jewelry with iolite, feel free to purchase it.

• The stone will bring good luck to Cancers.
• Scorpios will be able to get rid of past experiences and grievances.
• Capricorns can get a boost of vitality from the stone.
• Aries can expect a spontaneous find, be it a small amount of money, a new acquaintance or a profitable job.
• For Leos, iolite will show the right path towards their cherished goal.
• Virgos will gain inner peace and self-confidence.

Also, with the help of a stone you can increase your natural abilities.

A person who sees iolite (cordierite) in a dream will find an unusual solution to complex problems. This is a stone of clairvoyance. It is believed that people who constantly wear it begin to have telepathic abilities. Back to contents

Jewelry with mineral

Deep blue iolite, despite its relatively cheap price, is very much in demand in the jewelry market, because the combination of a good cut of the stone and the depth of color of the stone creates the impression of very expensive jewelry.

Jewelry prices can vary greatly. For example, earrings with natural blue iolite cost from 2,500 to 5,000 rubles. The cost of the ring is from 3500 rubles.

Violet iolite is very similar to sapphire, which is why it is used as an imitation. Jewelry with such a stone is more expensive: a ring costs from 6,000 rubles, earrings – from 5,200 rubles.

When choosing your jewelry, you need to remember the compatibility of metal and stone. In the “correct” frame, the stone will fully reveal its beauty and positive energy.

Good to know! Gold is closely related to the Sun. And stones that are ruled especially by Mars, Saturn and Pluto and slightly less than the Moon and Mercury will be at odds with a gold frame. Therefore, transparent, purple and rainbow-effect gems will not be able to coexist with gold in jewelry. But the “lynx sapphire” will be beautiful in gold.

Silver is at enmity with Mars and Pluto (it is not advisable to decorate a “cat’s eye” with silver), and is absolutely indifferent to Mercury, so you should not combine bright purple stones with white shiny metal. But silver happily accepts transparent, pale blue and dark blue stones.

Iolite and sapphire

Iolite is known by different names: false sapphire, water sapphire, lynx sapphire. This is no coincidence: outwardly it copies a first-level precious mineral.

Several parameters allow you to set the type of gem:

• Shine. Sapphires are stronger.
• Hardness and density . Iolite has less, but only a specialist can carry out the verification.
• Dichroism. Sapphire does not change color from different viewing angles. For iolite this is the main characteristic.

Thanks to the dichroism effect, even a non-specialist can distinguish iolite from imitations.

How to distinguish a fake?

It is not difficult to distinguish iolite from fakes, because the stone has characteristic properties:

• Dichroism, or “Alexandrite effect” – the shine of a facet with several colors at once – is the main quality of the stone!
• Interspersed with zircons and apatites give the stone a yellow tint to its shine.
• Conchoidal fracture.

And knowing the properties of the mineral will help you distinguish violet stone from precious stones:

• We must not forget about a feature noticed hundreds of years ago - the ability to find the Sun even in cloudy weather. The edges of the stone will flash from the side where it is located at that time.
• It has a relatively low degree of hardness. If you hit it with a heavy metal object, then, most likely, a small chip will remain on the surface, unlike diamond or sapphire.
• The blue color of the stone is much deeper than that of amethyst, the edges are multi-colored, but there are colorless areas on the body of the stone.

How to wear iolite?

Iolite can be worn in jewelry and in its raw form as an amulet.

Also read: Fire opal - the magical properties of a unique stone

Due to its zodiac versatility, the stone can be used by both women and men.

First, regardless of age, jewelry with a violet stone can be worn both on the neckline (it is pleasant to the body, quickly warms up and begins to give off its energy), and with suits made of materials such as chiffon, silk and satin. Beads and necklaces, voluminous earrings and rings look great.

The second stone is suitable for rings, tie pins and cufflinks, as well as as a symbol of harmony and happiness in the workplace or in a personal car.

Price

Russian online stores offer collectible material and jewelry made of iolite (cost/RUB):

• faceted stone 0.5 carat, 5 mm – RUR 3,756;
• silver bracelet (1 stone, 10 mm) – 6,100 rubles;
• ring (gold, silver; stone 18.7 carats, 19x16x10 mm) – RUB 21,200;
• earrings (925° silver, stones 7x5 mm) – 1,200 rub.

The world price of bright blue iolite is $55–60 per carat.

The price range is determined by the quality and type of stone. The most expensive ones are deep blue.

Caring for stone products

In order for products with a gem to retain its beauty and magical effect for as long as possible, you need to know a few rules:

• It is best to store each product in a separate box so that the energy of the stone can be preserved.
• You need to wipe the item as it gets dirty. It is best to carry out this procedure with a cotton swab dipped in a weak soap solution. Then wipe dry.

Important! Chemical aggressive solutions should be avoided!

• Esotericists believe that if a stone is worn every day, it should be washed every evening with warm running water (the stone is not afraid of high temperatures!). It is able to quickly and easily absorb negative energy and just as easily release it to water.

Compatibility with zodiac signs

Interesting! There are no contraindications to owning this stone for any zodiac sign.

Iolite, from the point of view of esotericists, is suitable for absolutely everyone. He is incapable of harming anyone. This stone should be worn by everyone as a talisman that brings peace, harmony, luck and love.

(“+++” – the stone fits perfectly, “+” – can be worn, “-” – is strictly contraindicated):

The stone can have the greatest influence on the fate of Aquarius, Libra and Gemini - creative people who live by emotions, feelings, spiritual impulses and are therefore subject to frequent stress, psychological breakdowns and depression.

And Taurus and Leo are sensitive to stone, especially at a time when “clouds hang over the relationship” and there is a threat of a quarrel or breakup.

Is this stone right for you?

Iolite and Zodiac

According to the horoscope, the favorites of the stone are Taurus and Libra. For them, this is a talisman against any troubles. But iolite suits almost all zodiac signs.

Astrologers only advise choosing the right shade of iolite:

• Instances of the classic “sapphire” range should be chosen by Aquarius, Libra, and Gemini.
• Iolites interspersed with hematite are suitable for “earthlings”.
• Transparent blue, “watery” minerals are an attribute of those born under the signs of Water.
• Gems with a cat's eye effect are intended to be worn by Leos.

These are the strongest options. If you like iolite of a different shade, you need to check personal compatibility.