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Lot 4124A
Large and Exceptional Cordierite var. Iolite
16 May 2018, 10:00 PDT
Los AngelesSold for US$2,250 inc. premium
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Large and Exceptional Cordierite var. Iolite
Tanzania
Leif Eriksson and other Viking explorers who ventured far out into the Atlantic Ocean, used thin pieces of Iolite as the world's first polarizing filter to help them determine their geographic position. Looking through an Iolite lens, they could determine the exact location of the sun and navigate safely to the New World and back. The optical property called pleochroism is very pronounced in Iolite--producing different colors when the stone is seen from different positions. Overall, Iolite appears as violet-blue or indigo and even to a clear light blue. The gem is also known as "Water Sapphire" or Dichroite. Iolite's name comes from the Greek ios, meaning violet, and is the gem version of the mineral Cordierite. The present oval cut stone has a rich, deep saturation of purplish-blue color. It is exceptionally large for the species as most iolites found are in the 1 to 2 carats range. Weighing approximately 15.62 carats and measuring 19.46 x 14.04 x 11.05mm
Leif Eriksson and other Viking explorers who ventured far out into the Atlantic Ocean, used thin pieces of Iolite as the world's first polarizing filter to help them determine their geographic position. Looking through an Iolite lens, they could determine the exact location of the sun and navigate safely to the New World and back. The optical property called pleochroism is very pronounced in Iolite--producing different colors when the stone is seen from different positions. Overall, Iolite appears as violet-blue or indigo and even to a clear light blue. The gem is also known as "Water Sapphire" or Dichroite. Iolite's name comes from the Greek ios, meaning violet, and is the gem version of the mineral Cordierite. The present oval cut stone has a rich, deep saturation of purplish-blue color. It is exceptionally large for the species as most iolites found are in the 1 to 2 carats range. Weighing approximately 15.62 carats and measuring 19.46 x 14.04 x 11.05mm