Beautiful Treasures: Iolite

I had my first crack at making a treasury list on Etsy today and was surprised how long it took. At least half an hour devoted solely to browsing gorgeous handmade things, you can imagine my distress!

I had the idea to build a series of treasuries devoted to the unsung beauties of the gemstone world. Maybe 'unsung' is the wrong word. Perhaps I just mean gemstones that I can't get enough of.

I started with iolite as it has always been one of my great favourites. I love the way that the colour shifts from inky indigo to honey brown depending which angle that you look at it from. I also love that Vikings used this colour shifting property as a way to navigate the seven seas. I can just imagine a great hulking sailor peering through a rough made spyglass with a chunky faceted iolite for a lens.
                                                     

Iolite ring,silver iolite ri... karenjohnsonde... $65	Labradorite, Iolite and Fres... SarahsBeeversu... $40	Romantic pink mystic quartz ... graciedot $32
Earrings with Lampwork Glass... AllAboutTheBea... $38	Cascade Iolite Earrings, Lon... AeridesDesigns $57	Iolite blue quartz earrings ... RedYuccaDesign... $39
Velvet....... Sterling Silve... RockCandyjewel... $40	Iolite Necklace with Karen H... TwoFeathersNY $98	Bib Necklace Iolite Necklace... AeridesDesigns $63
Gemstone and Sand Dollar Nec... wildharegems4 $16.5	Rose Cut Iolite Stud Earring... apostrophie $55	Iolite Briolette Drop Earrin... vickiorion $42
Blue Gemstone Earrings, Viol... EternoJewelry $64	Boli shah. Amethyst labrador... MimsyBorogrove... $49	Sterling Silver Pendant with... LavenderCottag... $38
Iolite Sterling Silver Neckl... WildAsters $40

 

 I also can't help but share my own recent design with iolite, a bracelet that mixes it up a bit with some of my other favourite gemstones:

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• Iolite
• Watermelon Tourmaline
• Amethyst
• Peridot
• Sterling Silver
• Thai Karen Silver

 

I haven't yet decided which unsung beauty to concentrate on next time. Perhaps yellow fluorite, or maybe Botswana agate, or moss amethyst...I'd welcome suggestions!