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Iolite

Last updated: August 2026

Famous for its extreme pleochroism, showing different colors when viewed from different directions.

Iolite has a specific gravity of 2.59 and a refractive index of 1.540–1.560, with a Mohs hardness of 7.0–7.5. It is biaxial −.

Physical & Optical Properties

RI Range1.540–1.560
Sources differ — GIA: 1.542–1.551 · Gem-A (FGA) / FEEG: 1.54–1.56. Cordierite (iolite) RI varies with Mg/Fe composition, so published reference ranges differ by exam body. The app uses the Gem-A syllabus range for identification; GIA candidates should expect GIA's narrower nominal range.
SG Range2.57–2.66
SG Typical2.59
Hardness (Mohs)7–7.5
Crystal SystemOrthorhombic
Optic CharacterDR Biaxial (−)
Birefringence0.012
Dispersion0.017
Fluorescence LWInert
Fluorescence SWInert
Chelsea FilterInert
PleochroismStrong Trichroic
ColorsBlue Violet, Purple
SpeciesCordierite
Blue VioletPurple

Measured with a polariscope, a refractometer, a hydrostatic balance, a Chelsea filter, a UV torch, a loupe, a darkfield loupe and a spectroscope — step-by-step for each.

Through the refractometer

Iolite reads 1.544 – 1.556 1.40 1.45 1.50 1.55 1.60 1.65 1.70 1.75 1.80 REFRACTIVE INDEX DORotate the stone through a full 360°, reading both edges atevery 45°. SEETwo boundaries, 0.012 apart at their widest separation. MEANSThat gap IS the birefringence. Take max minus min across thewhole rotation — a single position understates it, so onereading is an incomplete one. Computed from gems.json — edge positions are arithmetic, not drawn. RI increases upward; the field above the boundary is the dark one.

Drawn from the refractive index above, on a 1.40–1.81 scale. How to take this reading.

Through the polariscope

Iolite Blinks 4× per turn (DR) 0° 45° 90° 135° ROTATION BETWEEN CROSSED POLARS Iolite blinks light-dark four times in a full turn. That is doubly refractive. It does NOT tell you uniaxial from biaxial — that is the optic figure, which needs a conoscope. Computed from optic character and transparency in gems.json. A polariscope separates singly refractive, doubly refractive and aggregate — it does not show the optic sign.

Drawn from the optic character and transparency above. A polariscope separates singly refractive, doubly refractive and aggregate; the optic sign needs a conoscope. How to take this reading.

Specific gravity, and what it rules out

Iolite SG 2.57–2.66 WHERE IT SITS, AND WHAT ELSE IS THERE 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 SPECIFIC GRAVITY 31 other species in the table overlap this range, so a reading here narrows the field to 32 rather than naming the stone. This is the crowded part of the scale — the same careful measurement is worth far more higher up. Computed from the specific-gravity range in gems.json. Hydrostatic weighing — the bench method this site recommends; heavy liquids are toxic and regulated. Faint ticks are the other species in the table.

Drawn from the specific-gravity range above, against every other species in the table. How to take this reading.

Through the dichroscope

Iolite Trichroic — two of three at a time BEST ORIENTATION ROTATED 45° — THE NULL At its best orientation Iolite shows violet-blue in one window and light blue in the other. Rotate the instrument 45° and the two windows become IDENTICAL — the null. So "both windows the same" means either the stone is singly refractive or you are holding the instrument at the wrong angle, and the only way to tell is to turn it. Iolite is trichroic: a third colour, yellow-gray, appears in a different orientation, and a dichroscope only ever shows two at once. Computed from pleochroism and pleochroic colours in gems.json. Window tints are derived mechanically from the colour words, not chosen; a neutral pair depicts no colour at all.

Drawn from the pleochroism above. Two windows that match mean either no pleochroism or the wrong angle — turn the instrument to tell. How the dichroscope compares.

Key Differentiators

Common Simulants

Commonly Confused With

Commonly confused with: Sapphire, Tanzanite.

Related Comparisons

Amethyst Vs IoliteTanzanite Vs Iolite

Measurement Guides

How to Identify a GemstoneHow to Measure Specific GravityHow to Use a RefractometerUV Fluorescence Testing

Identifying an iolite? Loupewise walks through these tests in order — RI, SG, fluorescence, and more.

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Studying for the GIA, FGA, or FEEG practical? Iolite is one of the 132 species in Loupewise’s drill and exam pool — practice identifying it from its measured properties under timed exam conditions.

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