Jeff Davies iolite in a Daniel M ring

[glitterata]

Iolite isn't very popular here, and I understand why--it can be so dark, and its pleochroism makes it behave so strangely. But I love the deep, inky blue-violet, and I find it magical the way all the color drains out when you look at it from certain angles. I hunted for a well-cut example for a long time before finding one from Jeff Davies. I asked Daniel M to set it for me in Argentium silver, to give it an art deco feel, and to emphasize the octagonal shape.

Here it is: my invisible ink ring.





Here it is doing its invisible-ink thing where the color vanishes from certain angles:

 

[Mreader]

How pretty!! The octagonal setting is lovely! I have an Iolite pendant and I love it!

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

I didn't know they could do that! It's like magic(science, yeah?) but going with magic!
I love the geometry.

 

[T L]

Iolite can be a beautiful stone if cut properly and it’s tone is nice.

Lovely ring.

 

[MjK1]

Beautiful ring! I have a couple small iolite stones in a bracelet and I too love to see them vanish!

 

[minousbijoux]

I love it and its name, "the invisible ink ring!"

 

[LilAlex]

And the diamond people wonder why we love these things that are so full of surprises! I love the way some colored stones -- like yours -- look different all the time.

 

[peacechick]

I think iolite tends to have the limelight stolen by tanzanites, sapphires and spinels which fall in the same blue-purple spectrum. It’s lovely to see a beautiful example of it here showing its cool properties!

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

That is the prettiest iolite I've ever seen (and I own some)! I love your ring.

 

[glitterata]

Thank you for the kind words, jewelry friends! Here it is in the sunlight:



I decided I needed an iolite when I saw the Making Marvels exhibition at the Met last year, just before the pandemic shut everything down. Did any of you see it? There was a room full of jewelry borrowed from Dresden, including the Dresden Green diamond, and among them was a giant "lynx sapphire" (iolite) that blew my mind. It's the big, round blue stone set in the bottom of the hat ornament in the center of the top row here:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/759687

Closer photo:

Hatagraffe (sapphire garnish), Johann Melchior Dinglinger, Dresden, around 1722 - Alain.R.Truong

Hatagraffe (sapphire garnish), Johann Melchior Dinglinger (1664-1731), jeweler. Dresden, around 1722. A lynx sapphire, three sapphires, 97 diamond roses, gold, silver. 12.3 x 5.6 cm. Green Vault, VIII 161. © Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. King Louis...

www.alaintruong.com

 

[Cerulean]

I actually have a soft spot for iolite.

I got an iolite pendant for a friend from DanielM, and was impressed by it's depth and moodiness.

I hunted for one afterwards and didn't really find anything that struck me. I think YOU however found a wonderful specimen and I looove the setting!

 

[Niel]

We’re twins with that shank detail !

It’s beautiful

 

[Ally T]

This is gorgeous! What a beautiful stone!

 

[lambskin]

I did not know of its magical properties .. so cool. Love the ring

 

[musicloveranthony]

This is beautiful! I've never seen iolite in person and I need to change that!

 

[Cinders]

Fabulous---invisible ink is the perfect name!