A relatively new stone in the Western world, iolite has little history or lore associated with it -- with one exception -- it's nickname as "the Viking's compass."

The legend revolves around this question: "How did the Vikings travel the incredibly long distances they are reputed to have -- like to North America -- without possessing navigational tools more sophisticated than what is commonly known to have been available at the time?"

During a period between the tenth and thirteenth centuries -- before the invention of the astrolabe or sextant -- Viking mariners are reputed to have used thin pieces of iolite as the world's first polarizing filter since iolite is known to polarize light at approximately 90 degrees to the sun's direction.

Supposedly, looking through an iolite "lens," the Vikings could determine the exact position of the sun -- even near the arctic circle where in summer it's light 24 hours a day and there are no stars with which to navigate.

However, while the story makes a great contribution to the romantic mythology of gem lore, their is still a lot of disagreement among scholars and scientists as to whether the idea has merit. According to at least some experts who've put it to the test, this method of navigation eventually puts sailors off by as much as 30 degrees, one way or another -- which over long distances would make it all but useless for navigational purposes.