People wear iolite jewelry because of its blue and violet color shifting properties. Amethyst is also a violet stone.
You will get a detailed guide on Iolite vs. Amethyst to help you identify and care for these stones.
Iolite vs. Amethyst
To learn about each of these stones, it is better to compare the physical and chemical properties of Iolite and Amethyst.
There are many similarities and differences between these stones.
You can identify them when you know about their physical and chemical properties.
You can learn about the locations to find Iolite vs. Amethyst.
There are some differences in the uses of these crystals.
What Is Iolite Mineral?
Iolite is a mineral in the class of the Cordierite family.
Minerals in this class consist of magnesium, iron, and aluminum cyclosilicate.
You can get iolite in blue and gray colors. It is also available in colorless crystals.
It is more durable than other crystals because it has a high hardness score.
Iolite has a hardness score of 7 to 7.5 on the Moh hardness scale.
It is a perfect gemstone for jewelry due to its high hardness score and vitreous luster.
It enhances the elegance of the jewelry due to its color-changing effect.
Some people also call it the Viking campus because Vikings used it to locate the position of the sun and moon in cloudy weather.
You can see the sun through the clouds by looking through the Iolite crystals.
What Is Amethyst Mineral?
Amethyst is made from quartz crystals as a member of the quartz family.
You can find the Amethyst in the form of geodes inside the volcanic rocks.
It is also possible to find the Amethyst crystals in other types of rocks.
You can get the Amethyst in purple to violet color.
A red tint is for identification of the Amethyst because it has a high iron concentration.
Iron changes to purple color when it faces a high level of gamma radiation.
This process is known as irradiation. Amethyst is not an expensive mineral.
You may have to pay a premium price when you want to buy deep purple Amethyst crystals.
What Are the Similarities Between Iolite vs. Amethyst?
You will find more differences when comparing Iolite vs. Amethyst.
There are a few similarities between Iolite vs. Amethyst crystals that confuse beginners. The most crucial similarity is their use in jewelry. People like to wear the Amethyst and Iolite jewelry because of the elegant color and vitreous luster.
There are some crystals of Iolite and Amethyst that have the same color.
There is a little hardness difference between these crystals.
What Are the Differences Between Iolite vs. Amethyst?
You can differentiate the Iolite from the Amethyst by the way they form. Amethyst gets its color due to the irradiation process. Iron in the Amethyst crystals faces gamma radiation to become purple. Iolite does not undergo any radiation exposure to get the blue color.
There are some black inclusions at the edge of the Iolite.
You cannot find it in Amethyst crystals.
Most crystals of Iolite have a blue color.
Amethyst has a purple color.
You can differentiate them because of the color difference also.
You cannot find the Iolite in the Geodes because Iolite crystals are part of the igneous rocks.
There are many differences in the chemical composition of these crystals.
If you want to know only one way to differentiate between these crystals, you can look for the color.
Amethyst is primarily purple, and Iolite is always blue.
How Can You Identify Iolite? How Can You Identify Amethyst?
If you have an uncut iolite crystal, it will appear blue with a round shape.
You can find iolite in the oval shape also.
You can also find some black inclusions in the Iolite stones.
You may not find the Iolite in the crystal form sometimes.
Amethyst is always in crystal form; you can use it for decorative purposes without cutting it.
The blue color is the most crucial aspect of the Iolite.
You cannot get it in other colors.
Where Can You Find Iolite? Where Can You Find Amethyst?
You can find the Iolite in the gravel deposits at the base of a mountain.
These gravel deposits form when water moves downhill from a mountain.
It brings stones and gravel with it to the ground deposits.
There are many countries with Iolite sources.
Africa is the most prominent in the Iolite sources list.
Tanzania and Kenya are on the top of the list.
Brazil, India, and Norway also have sources of Iolite.
It is hard to find Amethyst in the perfect color in different countries.
The ideal Amethyst should have more than 75 percent purple hue.
Siberia, Uruguay, Brazil, and Sri Lanka have the most high-quality sources of Amethyst.
How Are Iolite and Amethyst Commonly Used?
There are many reasons people use Iolite and Amethyst because these stones make attractive jewelry because of the peculiar color and vitreous luster.
You can use them in silver, gold, and platinum jewelry.
Iolite has a different use as it helps people navigate.
You can use the Iolite to find the sun by looking through the Iolite.
Vikings took Iolite to their sea journies for navigation.
These are inexpensive stones because people can get a low-quality crystal for less than 10 dollars.
You can enjoy the healing benefits of these stones because they channel positive energy in your body and mind.
These stones are also beneficial for your spiritual well-being.
Some people use Amethyst as the paper weight and home decoration stones.
You will get healing benefits when you keep them for other purposes also.
You can find Iolite and Amethyst online.
To Summarize: Iolite vs. Amethyst
There are more differences than similarities between the Iolite and Amethyst.
You will learn the most crucial aspects of these stones from these points.
- Iolite is part of the Cordierite crystal family.
- Amethyst is part of the quartz crystal family.
- You can differentiate them by color as Iolite crystals are blue and Amethyst is purple.
- Both are part of jewelry because of their excellent color.
- They have many common healing benefits.
- They are inexpensive as you can get them for less than 10 dollars.