Gem: Iolite
Weight: 1.46 ct.
Dimensions: 8.65 x 7.5 mm
Clarity: SI - silk only, no dislocations or sugar inclusions
Origin Babati, Tanzania
Treatments: None
Comments:
Faceted in a custom design by Scott Maier in Vermont
This Iolite looks (to me anyway) like it should weigh a LOT more than 1.46 ct. So I'll just say it faces up large, and leave it at that. I guess it has a lower density than other materials I am used to cutting. I would have sworn while I was cutting it that it weighed at least 2.5 ct. but multiple confirmations on different scales confirms: 1.46 ct.
I would have liked it better if my design could show better, but alas, you can't control the silk! I still like how it looks quite a bit. The eye also sees more nuance in both color and pattern in person, than the photos are able to convey, so I'd bet that whoever ends up buying this piece is pleasantly surprised as opposed to disappointed.