Moonstone is a feldspar with a floating blue-white glow that moves as the bead turns. In crystal lore it is the stone people keep for quiet evenings, intuition and the sense of a new cycle starting.
See it as
Feldspar · Orthoclase (orthoclase and albite layers)
Moonstone
Piedra luna
- Palette
- White Clear Gray Multicolor
- Mined in
- Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India, Madagascar, Norway, Poland, Mexico, Australia, United States, Tanzania, Malawi, Armenia, Austria
- Hardness
- Mohs 6.0–6.5 ?
- See-through
- translucent
- Known since
- Prehistoric
- Named for
- its floating milky glow, called adularescence
- Also sold as
- Adularia
- Intention
- New Beginnings Calm
- Looking for
- Rest and meditation Hope Fresh starts Change and decisions
- Water
- Keep it dry; wipe with a soft cloth
- Dye or finish
- Moonstone beads are sold natural; some strands are dyed or coated and the better sellers mark those on the label.
In our pieces · 1See the piece ↓
1970
Florida made moonstone its state gem in 1970 to mark the Moon landings, even though the stone does not occur naturally there.
RAINBOW MOONSTONE
What is sold as rainbow moonstone is a colorless, highly transparent labradorite with a multicolored glow.
6 TO 6.5
Moonstone rates 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, a little softer than quartz at 7.
What it is
Milky white to colorless, gray or peach, with a floating blue-white glow called adularescence that shifts as the bead turns. The glow comes from alternating thin layers of orthoclase and albite inside the stone.
What gives it its color
The glowing blue-white sheen comes from thin alternating layers of two feldspars (orthoclase and albite) that scatter light; the thinner the layers, the bluer the glow.
Where it comes from
Most commercial moonstone today comes from Sri Lanka; the best blue-sheen stones historically came from Myanmar, and it is also found in India, Madagascar and Tanzania.
In history
Moonstone became a favorite of Art Nouveau jewelers, and the French goldsmith Rene Lalique made a large amount of jewelry with it. The most valuable stones, with a strong blue sheen, came from Myanmar, while most of today's supply is mined in Sri Lanka.
What's said about it
It's traditionally associated with the Moon. Ancient writers described a stone that seemed to follow the moon's waxing and waning, and in India it has long been thought of as sacred and lucky.
People wear it on the wrist, carry it in a pocket, hold it in either hand, or keep it by the bed or in a meditation corner. Some sit with it for five to ten minutes each evening through one lunar cycle. It chips on hard knocks.
How people wear or keep it: On the wrist, in a pocket, under the pillow or by the bed, or in a meditation corner.
In crystal practice
In the crystal tradition, moonstone is paired with the sacral and crown chakras, so practitioners rest it there during meditation or lie down with it in place for a few quiet minutes. Day to day, the same tradition suggests keeping it close: on the wrist, in a pocket, under the pillow or by the bed. People reach for it when they want rest and meditation, hope, fresh starts, and many set an intention when they put it on. Most practitioners cleanse a new stone first (running water only if the stone can take it, otherwise smoke or moonlight) and set it aside now and then to rest.
These are beliefs people have held and still hold about the stone, reported as such. Nothing here is a promise or a medical claim. We sell stones as jewelry, not for these effects.
Associations
The chakra and star sign this stone is usually matched with. These are popular traditions, not facts about the stone.
ChakraSacral, Crown
ZodiacCancer
BirthstoneJune, August
ElementWater
Also calledAdularia
Care
- Feldspar cleaves easily in two directions, so a hard knock can crack it; remove rings and bracelets for heavy work.
- Hardness is only about 6, so store it apart from quartz and other harder stones.
- Clean with a soft damp cloth and mild soapy water; skip ultrasonic cleaners.
How to tell what you have
- Real moonstone shows a soft blue-white glow that seems to float under the surface and moves as you turn the bead.
- Frosted glass and opalite are sometimes sold as moonstone; they lack a glow that changes with direction.
- Rainbow moonstone is actually labradorite, a close feldspar relative.
What sets the price
Strands cost more when the bead is clearer and shows a brighter blue glow that stays visible as you turn it; brown or yellow body color and cloudy, cracked beads cost less.
Rules and sourcing
Some moonstone strands are dyed or coated, and better sellers mark those on the label. The FTC jewelry guides call for a seller to disclose dye or coating.
Questions people ask at our table
What is moonstone?
It is a feldspar made of thin alternating layers of orthoclase and albite. Light diffracting between the layers produces the milky blue-white glow, called adularescence.
Is it a birthstone?
Kunz's 1913 birthstone table lists moonstone as an alternate stone for June, alongside pearl. Modern lists also carry it for June.
Where is it from?
Historically the most valuable blue-sheen stones came from Myanmar, and today most commercial moonstone comes from Sri Lanka. It is also found in India, Madagascar and elsewhere.
Is rainbow moonstone the same thing?
Usually not. Bead strands sold as rainbow moonstone are normally white labradorite, a related feldspar with a colored flash. We have not verified this for any particular strand, so ask the supplier.
How do I care for it?
Wipe with a soft damp cloth, avoid knocks, and keep it separate from harder stones, since it is only about 6 on the Mohs scale.
Our moonstone pieces
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