MOONSTONE

A type of Feldspar mineral that displays adularescence, an optical property that appears as a soft glow of light, floating just under the surface of the stone. It was given the name Moonstone because if looks similar to the moon hiding behind cloud cover. Adularescence is observed in pieces of feldspar that contain thin alternating layers of orthoclase and albite. These micron-thick layers of different composition also have different refractive indexes. Light, penetrating one layer after another, is bent, reflected and scattered at the surface of each layer. The scattered light within the stone is what causes the adularescent glow and the beauty of the gem. It is usually a white/silver color. Interlayering of other feldspars such as labradorite, oligoclase, or sanidine can also produce adularescence. The term “adularescence” has its origin in Switzerland. Fine-quality moonstone was mined in the Swiss Alps, near the town of St. Gotthard Pass, formerly named Mt. Adular. The moonstone found there was called “adularia”, named after the town. Though the glow of Moonstones is usually white/silver, the body color of the stone can vary from black, grey, brown, pink, salmon, orange, green, yellow & clear. It isn’t as hard as quartz, and has perfect cleavage, so it can be cracked & damaged rather easily when worn in jewelry. Many common objects can scratch Moonstone, so care must be taken when wearing them. It is mined mostly in Sri Lanka, Brazil, Myanmar and India. There are no giant commercial mines for moonstone, instead it is mined by hand in rivers and small surface mines.