Iolite is originated from the Greek word “ios,” or violet. Iolite at its best is a rich, violet-blue coloured stone.
Ancient mariners used Iolite to navigate around the world similar to a compass but Iolite only really helped to find direction of the sun on cloudy days which was important when sailing as the stone would be brightest if held towards the sun and this gave sailors direction that they were travelling so it was an extremely valuable gemstone in ancient times..
Natural Iolite may resembled better-known stones such as tanzanite or sapphire, however it is a more affordable gem complemented with the rich blues that are prevalent to the more expensive stones.
Metaphysical/Healing Properties
Surrender-that's the message in iolite. Three people I know wear iolite for completely different reasons. Tara has trouble sleeping. She says when she wears her iolite ring at night as well as in the day time, her sleeping patterns not only improve, but her dreams are instructive. Deborah is wearing iolite all through her pregnancy to remind her that she's connected to a greater feminine creator and is part of a larger, natural rhythm. And then there's Jane (that's not her real name). Jane is no plain jane, believe me, which is part of her problem. She had a love affair with credit cards that nearly bankrupted her. She's so convinced iolite is helping her get back on track and out of debt, she's told herself she can buy all the iolite jewelry she wants…as long as she doesn't charge it.
Iolite's spiritual value is this: it helps us to see the path we are on and the path we should be on. It calls for us to honor ourselves and to surrender some space so the sacred can work through us to make the necessary changes. That's what each of these three people is doing.
Mineral Information: Cordereite, cyclosilicate
Chemical Composition: Mg2Al3(AlSi5O18)
Color: Medium blue to intense blue-violet
Hardness: 7 - 7-1/2
Specific Gravity: 2.58-2.66
Refractive Index: 1.53-1.55