Iolite & Ruby Earrings

1.25" long, Iolite briolettes and Ruby rondelles, sterling silver wire and ear wires. 

Iolite’s name comes from the stones violet color but it is also known as Cor-dierite, Dichroite, or Water Sapphire. The best deposits are found in Brazil, Madagascar, Burma, India, and Sri Lanka. It is said to increase the vividness of inner visions (esp. in relation to shamanic journeying) and illuminates the issues one must face for continued growth. It increases the capacity to move forward into areas of old fear to promote healing and it assists in blending normal conscious thinking with intuitive knowing to strengthen the energetic links between the brain and the heart.

Named for it’s red color, Ruby was not recognized as belonging to the corundum species until about 1800. Up til then red spinel and red garnet were also designated as ‘ruby’. Since the red color varies so much within each individual deposit, it is not possible to tell the source area just from the color so the designations “Burma ruby” & “Siam ruby” refer more to quality than origin. Rubies are the hardest minerals after diamonds but it can be very brittle when being shaped for jewelry. Inclusions are common and are not necessarily indicative of a lower quality, but rather shows the difference between a natural and synthetic stone and the type of inclusions can indicate the source area. Deposits have been found in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, India, Brazil, and the United States. In European lore in the Middle Ages, Ruby was believed to convey good health, resolve disagreements, and remove negative thoughts and was long revered as a stone of royalty.