Iol

Iol is the name by which iolite (cordierite) is commonly known. Another nickname is "violet stone" although its overall hue is usually blue. Iols are usually cut into faceted gems to best display the stone's color change as it is viewed from different directions. Iols so viewed appear straw-yellow, blue, and dark blue. Small, cut iols can be clear, but larger specimens usually contain silky inclusions of another substance, giving a star effect, or even trapped hematite crystals, which give the same rich golden flash of color as sunstones. A typical specimen has a base value of 50gp.