Moonstone

Moonstone

Moonstone is a translucent stone that has a shimmering affect called adularescence. It is often worn in rings, pendants or bead necklaces. Blue moonstone pendants are very stunning.

Moonstone comes in colorless, white, yellow, orange, and gray. It always has a white or blue sheen. That is, moonstone reflects light in a distinctive shimmering phenomenon known as adularescence. Moonstone has a hardness of 6 and it can be easily scratched.

Moonstone is found in Brazil, European Alps, India, Madagascar, Mexico, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and USA (Pennsylvania and Virginia). Sri Lanka has the highest quality moonstones.

The moonstone is characterised by an enchanting play of light. Indeed it owes its name to that mysterious shimmer which always looks different when the stone is moved and is known in the trade as ‘adularescence’. In earlier times, people believed they could recognise in it the crescent and waning phases of the moon.

This gemstone is surrounded by a good deal of mystique and magic. In many cultures, for example in India, it is regarded as a holy, magical gemstone. In India, moonstones are also regarded as ‘dream stones’ which bring the wearer beautiful visions at night. In Arabic countries, women often wear moonstones sewn out of sight into their garments, for in their cultures the moonstone is a symbol of fertility.

For a few years, there have also been some green, brown and orange specimens on the market, as well as some with a smoky colour and some the colour of champagne, and some black and some reddish ones, mainly originating from India. Some have a cat’s eye effect or a four-spoked star as well as the typical undulating shimmer of light.

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