Cordierite (Iolite)

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Marketed as iolite, cordierite is a magnesium iron aluminum silicate famous for exceptionally strong trichroism, appearing deep violet-blue, pale yellow, and near-colorless when viewed along its three crystallographic axes. That property earned it the old name water sapphire and a role as a navigational aid, since Vikings may have used it to locate the sun through cloud. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic system and measures 7.0 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. The finest gem material comes from Sri Lanka, India, and Tanzania, yielding medium to dark violet-blue stones at accessible prices, so this moderately priced semi-precious gem endures as an underappreciated alternative to blue sapphire.

Physical & Optical Properties

Category Semi-Precious Gems

Mohs Hardness 7,0 – 7,5

Specific Gravity 2,56 – 2,66

Refractive Index 1,542 – 1,578

Crystal System Orthorhombic

Luster Vitreous,Greasy

Cleavage Good

Fracture Uneven,Conchoidal

Color various

Birefringence 0,008

Dispersion 0,017

Pleochroism Strong trichroism: colorless to yellowish - pale blue - dark (violet)-blue

Mohs Hardness

Mohs hardness of Cordierite (Iolite) shown against the ten reference minerals, from talc (1) to diamond (10).

Mohs	Reference mineral	Cordierite (Iolite)
1	Talc
2	Gypsum
3	Calcite
4	Fluorite
5	Apatite
6	Orthoclase
7	Quartz	●
8	Topaz
9	Corundum
10	Diamond

Crystal System

Value & Market

Price Tier Moderate ($50-500/ct)

Where to Buy Cordierite (Iolite)

Blue Nile Fine jewelry retailer

James Allen Gemstone jewelry

Brilliant Earth Ethically sourced gems

Amazon Wide selection

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About Cordierite (Iolite)

A iolite é o nome gemológico da cordierite, um mineral de silicato de magnésio, ferro e alumínio famoso pelo seu intenso pleocroísmo: exibe cores diferentes (azul-violeta, cinzento-amarelado e quase incolor) dependendo da direcção de observação. Este fenómeno tornou-a historicamente apreciada pelos navegadores viquingues, que a utilizavam como "bússola solar" para determinar a posição do sol em dias encobertos, pois o seu eixo de polarização da luz apontava para o sol. Os melhores exemplares apresentam um azul-safira profundo e são muito apreciados em joalharia como alternativa acessível à safira.