Moonstone is a feldspar gem with a soft glow: a white or bluish light that seems to float under the surface and roll across the stone as you turn it. It is one of the three birthstones for June, along with pearl and alexandrite.
Where the glow comes from
Moonstone is a variety of orthoclase feldspar. As it forms, two feldspars, orthoclase and albite, are mixed together. When the stone cools, they separate into thin, stacked layers. Light falling between those layers is scattered, and the floating sheen it makes is called adularescence. Moonstone was once called adularia, after a Swiss mountain that was one of the first sources of fine stones. GIA describes the finest moonstone as a gem of glassy purity with an electric blue shimmer.
Rainbow moonstone and labradorite
Other feldspars can glow too. Rainbow moonstone, with flashes of blue and other colors over a light body, is transparent labradorite. GIA says it is technically not moonstone, but the trade has accepted it as a gem in its own right.
Moonlight made solid
According to Hindu mythology, moonstone is made of solidified moonbeams. The Romans also believed it formed from moonbeams, and both Romans and Greeks linked it with their lunar deities. It is traditionally associated with love, passion and fertility, and it has long been believed to bring good luck. Many once believed that holding a moonstone in your mouth during a full moon would let you see the future.
Art Nouveau designers such as René Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany set moonstone in their jewelry. In 1970 Florida named it the state gem to honor the Apollo 11 moon landing, launched from Kennedy Space Center, even though moonstone is not found naturally in Florida, or on the moon.
Where moonstone is mined
GIA names India and Sri Lanka as the most important sources. Moonstone also comes from Brazil, Madagascar, Myanmar and Tanzania, and from New Mexico, North Carolina and Virginia in the United States. In 1997 miners in southern India found a new type with a bright green body color that the trade calls "parrot green."
Caring for moonstone
Moonstone rates 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and has poor toughness. Like other feldspars it has two directions of cleavage, so a hard knock can break it. For that reason it is more often set in pendants and earrings than in rings. High heat or a sudden change in temperature can also crack it. Clean it with warm, soapy water and a soft brush, never with ultrasonic or steam cleaners. See also our malas and bracelets.
Moonstone at Buddha.store
- Natural Moonstone Bead Bracelet
- Moonstone 108 Bead Mala Bracelet
- Blue Flash Labradorite Bead Bracelet
- Sterling Silver Rabbit Moonstone Jewelry Set
- Citrine Moonstone Butterfly Charm Bracelet
See every piece in our Moonstone collection.
