Moonstone is a feldspars named "adularia" or "Selenite" and is a silicate of potassium aluminium.
Like a diamond, when uncut, the moonstone can be dull in appearance. However it is when it is cut that all the light effects begin to shine through. Often a moonstone will be 'cabochon' cut with smooth round curvatures.
Inbound light rays are refracted inside the stone and distorted by the scales or layers inside the stone
Moonstone is quite fragile and is only 6 on the Mohs' scale. However a dulled Moonstone can be specially polished to enhance its mystical light.
Moonstone is said to enhance concentration and intuition.
Moonstone is a mineral of the feldspar family. This beautiful gemstone is composed of sodium and Potassium Aluminosilicate,(K,Na)AlSi3O8, that shows a silver and blue iridescence. Moonstones are mostly found in Sri Lanka and make an ideal gemstone for silver jewellery.
The majority of commercially available moonstone is found in Sri Lanka, although some deposits are to be found in Brazil, America and Australia. Other feldspars in the moonstone family include labradorite and peristerite, which are also iridescent.
Moonstone has the property of "adularescence", which means it changes the hue and saturation of its bluish white colour when it is moved around. This phenomenon use to be associated with the phases of the waning moon. It produces shimmering pale blues and whites. The translucent colours of Moonstone create an ideal media for silver jewellery. It has been popular throughout history and was often used by Rene Lalique, the renown Art Nouveau jeweller.
Magical and healing properties have often been associated with Moonstone. Indian culture for example, prescribes moonstone as a sacred gemstone that can lead to sweet dreams. Middle East ladies wear sew it into their dresses as a of fertility symbol. Indeed wearing a moonstone has often been associated with romance, love and fertility in western culture.
The silver ring shown on the left is set with another type of feldspar mineral called Labradorite, which has some similar properties to moonstone but as you can see is a green as opposed to blue colour. We have some fine examples of moonstone on our silver bracelets with moonstones
The price of moonstone varies according to its colour, cut and clarity. The intense blue colours often fetch premium values with the lovely blue colour of Rainbow moonstone fetching the highest price. Generally larger and those with greater transparency are more expensive. The best and most valuable moonstone display almost a 3D depth of colour, which can be observed prominently when tilting and moving the stone.