NOTE:

Most details shown in the large image are actually not visible to the naked eye, large photographs are meant to show details. We have made the image the closest possible to the original item when viewed on computer screen. Depending on the viewers’ monitor settings, the colour of the item may appear a few shades lighter or darker in comparison to the original item.

Only a few gem species exhibit a floating billowy light just under the polished surface, a phenomenon called adularescence. Mineralogists call gems with adularescence Adularia. Gemologists, jewelers, and lapidaries call them Moonstones. The word “adularescence” comes from the locality where the mineral species orthoclase was discovered, the Adula mountain range, also called the Adula Alps, between southeastern Switzerland and Italy. The name “moonstone” is reputed to have originated in India, because of the bluish billowy sheen resembling moonlight on the water in that country.

Orthoclase moonstone typically is found in pastels of white, orange, brown, yellow, pink, very faint blue, very faint green, and gray. It ranges from translucent to semi-transparent and is normally cabochon cut to show off the adularescence. The higher quality moonstones are close to transparent and without visible inclusions. The more transparent and the more blue its adularescence, the higher the value. This quality in larger sizes is quite rare and becomes a big factor in stones larger than 10-mm x 12-mm ovals. By far the most valuable moonstones are those which are colorless, transparent and have a strong blue sheen.

For cat’s eyes and the occasional star moonstones, expect to pay in proportion to the beauty of eye, size and clarity. In rare instances, the schiller phenomenon is multicolored showing blue, with green and/or orange. Such stones are quite valuable and are known as rainbow moonstone. Unfortunately, a lot of low grade labradorite feldspar is advertised and sold by that name (a misnomer), so most people are surprised by the prices of the real gem grade rainbow stones.

DESCRIPTION

PRODUCT : Natural Moonstone

QUANTITY : 1

COLOR : Yellowish White (Adularescence)

SHAPE : Fancy

CLARITY : Transparent

TREATMENT : NONE

HARDNESS : 6.0 - 6.5

ORIGIN : Ural Mountains, RUSSIA

CLARITY CHART

IF Free of inclusions under a loupe with 10x magnification

VVS Microscopic inclusions barely seen under a loupe with 10x magnification

VS Very slight inclusions visible only to the scrutiny of the close naked eye

SI Small inclusions easily seen to the close naked eye

I Heavy or large inclusions obvious to the naked eye

Transparent Transmitting light without serious diffusion / may have rutile or other inclusions

Translucent Allowing light to pass through, but not transparent

Opaque Does not allow light to pass through

IMPORTANT NOTE

Weight and size of gemstone/item may vary slightly from piece to piece due to difference in calibration of our weighing and measuring scales compared to those used by buyers.

Colour may also not appear exactly as in real life due to variation in computer monitor resolution and lighting used during photo shooting. Our photos are taken under fluorescent lighting; sometimes Torch Light and Flash Light are also used. We will do our very best to represent the accurate pictures of all our items.