The moonstone is characterized by its unusual play of lights and its charismatic shimmer. This glittering gemstone is chiefly composed of feldspar, which makes up almost 80% of Earth’s rocks. The feldspar variety is called ‘adularia’, a potassium aluminosilicate of gemstone quality, which is also found in the European Alps near the Adula Group – hence the name 'adularia'. Another synonym for moonstone is 'selenite', from the Greek 'selene' ('moon').
The shimmer of moonstones is very unique in the world of gemstones. Gemologists refer to this phenomenon as ‘adularisation’. The cause of it is the lamellar inner construction of the gemstone. Incident light rays are refracted and scattered in the stone. In this way, a unique light effect comes about, and it is this which makes the moonstone so distinctive and so desirable.
However, this amazing gemstone scores low on hardness- only 6 on the Mohs scale. Hence, moonstones should be handled carefully as it can show signs of wear and tear even when used for a long time. Nevertheless, a jeweler can easily remedy the problem with a matt finish polish after which, the stone would shine again as new.
The shimmer of moonstones is very unique in the world of gemstones. Gemologists refer to this phenomenon as ‘adularisation’. The cause of it is the lamellar inner construction of the gemstone. Incident light rays are refracted and scattered in the stone. In this way, a unique light effect comes about, and it is this which makes the moonstone so distinctive and so desirable.However, this amazing gemstone scores low on hardness- only 6 on the Mohs scale. Hence, moonstones should be handled carefully as it can show signs of wear and tear even when used for a long time. Nevertheless, a jeweler can easily remedy the problem with a matt finish polish after which, the stone would shine again as new.
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