Gemstone encyclopedia
Moonstone — meaning, history and vintage jewelry
Moonstone is a feldspar that shows adularescence, a soft blue or white light that seems to float below the surface as the stone moves. It is soft and cleavable, at 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, so it should be set protectively and cleaned gently. Moonstone is the defining stone of Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts jewelry, where its dreamy light suited the design language exactly.
What moonstone is
The effect comes from light scattering between microscopic layers of two feldspars. The best material has a colorless, transparent body with a strong blue sheen; more common stones are milkier with a white sheen.
Because moonstone is almost always cut as a cabochon and oriented so the sheen sits over the dome, a poorly oriented stone looks dull no matter how fine the rough was.
Color and hardness
- Species
- Feldspar, usually orthoclase
- Color
- Colorless to white, gray or peach body with a blue or white sheen
- Mohs hardness
- 6 to 6.5
- What that means in wear
- Soft, and feldspar has good cleavage in two directions, so moonstone chips more easily than its hardness suggests.
How to care for moonstone
This is one of our delicate stones. Pearls, opal, emerald, turquoise, coral, moonstone and tanzanite must never go near an ultrasonic or steam cleaner, and they should be kept away from perfume, cosmetics and household chemicals.
- Never use ultrasonic or steam cleaning.
- Clean with a soft damp cloth and dry gently.
- Store separately; moonstone scratches against harder stones and can chip along its cleavage.
Our full house rules, including what the one year warranty does and does not cover, are in the care & warranty guide.
History and symbolism
Roman and later European jewelers used it, but its great period is 1890 to 1920, from Rene Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany through the Arts and Crafts workshops, and again in mid century silver.
Intuition, night and new beginnings, drawn straight from the resemblance to moonlight.
Moonstone in vintage and antique jewelry
Art Nouveau gold and enamel; Arts and Crafts silver by Liberty and its contemporaries; Edwardian pieces pairing moonstone with sapphires or pearls; mid century Scandinavian and American silver.
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Moonstone pieces in our collection
Every curated vintage, antique and estate piece is one of a kind and checked by our jewelry specialists in the Netherlands. If nothing is right today, we will look for it.
Frequently asked questions
- What causes the glow in moonstone?
- Adularescence, the scattering of light between microscopically thin layers inside the feldspar. It is a structural effect, not a coating or treatment.
- Is moonstone suitable for a ring?
- In a bezel or otherwise protected setting, yes, but it is soft and cleavable, so it is a better choice for a piece worn occasionally than for a daily ring.
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