Iolite dates back to at least the Greek period of history. It was the Greek people that named this beautiful stone. Iolite translates to "violet" in ancient Greek and is an accurate description of the typical color of this gemstone.
Where Iolite truly makes its mark in the history book is the Viking era.
It is known that the Vikings used the stone for navigation. The Vikings used the sun and the stars to navigate, looking directly at the sun is obviously not the best thing for your eyes and the ancient mariners used a slim piece of Iolite to shield their eyes from the harmful glare of direct sunlight.
The common modern use for gem quality Iolite is of course jewelry.
Iolite available in various different shades, from deep blue, to purple and lavender hues.
The deep blue variety has also given the stone another one of its names "water sapphire"
As a day to day gemstone, Iolite can be found in rings, bracelets, earrings, and pendants. The stone is reasonably durable (7 1/2 moh's scale) and can stand up to day to day wear. It is not advised to clean the stone in an ultrasonic cleaner or to use a steam cleaner, as both can cause possible damage to the stone. It is typically advised that owners of this jewelry should use warm soapy water to clean this stone.
Iolite is usually mounted in white gold, silver, and occasionally platinum. It is not impossible to find yellow gold pieces, but they are nowhere near as common as the aforementioned metals.
Iolite also has quite a reputation amongst the "new age" and spiritual interest groups. The stone is said to represent several qualities, including truth and leadership. The stone was also historically used by shamans as it is considered a powerful aid to clairvoyance amongst some cultures.
This beautiful gemstone has a rich and deep history, and makes a wonderful stone for jewelry.