Sinkankas lists the wholesale value of fine blue violet stones in the 1 to 5 carat range as $60 to $80 per carat and $100 to $150 per carat for stones 5 to 10 ct. He also notes that stones larger than 8 carats are rarely eye clean. Federman is more conservative, listing retail values as $100 and $150 per carat, respectively, for those size ranges. Writing in 1990 he reports that German cutters have been buying iolite rough in quantity to capitalize on an expected surge in popularity and price.
Iolite is readily available and surprisingly affordable. The better and richer the blue, the better. It is mined in India, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Brazil. The Vikings probably mined iolite from deposits in Norway and Greenland.
Iolite is relatively hard but should be protected from blows. With its attractive color and reasonable price, it may become a jewelry staple in the future.
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