Iolite 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads 20210930-1007 Star Cut & Double Hearted African Jade is a complex

African Jade is a complex Calcium Aluminum Silicate and is a Nephrite Jade

prized throughout history for its beautiful colors and patterns

the colors are naturally occurring

The inclusions can be so dense as to make the clear Quartz nearly opaque

but differ in chemical composition

Iolite 8mm Round - Large Hole Beads 20210930-1007 Star Cut & Double Hearted African Jade is a complexIolite most commonly occurs in shades of blue to gray, violet or indigo. It displays a visual property called pleochroism, which means that it can appear to be different colors as it shifts in the light. According to Norse legend, Viking explorers used thin pieces of Iolite as the worlds first polarizing lens to help them determine the exact location of the sun for navigation.