Definition –
“Moonstone” is a sodium potassium aluminium silicate ((Na,K)AlSi3O8) of the feldspar mineral that produces a “pearly” luster when light enters the stone and is reflected by mineral layers within the gem. An alternative name is hecatolite. It is the traditional birthstone for the month of June. Moonstone is a 3rd Anniversary gemstone.
Its name is derived from a visual effect, sheen or schiller (adularescence), caused by light diffraction within a micro-structure consisting of regular exsolution layers (lamellae) of different alkali feldspars (orthoclase and sodium-rich plagioclase).
Moonstone is most often a white or gray color with a glow that is white or silvery like the glow of the moon (that’s how it got its name!). Moonstone also occurs in pink, orange, near-colorless and other colors. Rare moonstones produce a blue or a multicolored glow. These are called “rainbow moonstones” and they are market favorites. The accompanying photo shows two cabochons of rainbow moonstone with a bright blue glow.
History: Moonstone has been used in jewelry for millennia, including ancient civilizations. The Romans admired moonstone, as they believed it was derived from solidified rays of the Moon. Both the Romans and Greeks associated moonstone with their lunar deities. In more recent history, moonstone became popular during the Art Nouveau period; French goldsmith René Lalique and many others created a large quantity of jewelry using this stone.
Moonstone enhances intuition, promotes inspiration, success and good fortune in love and business matters. Moonstone aids the digestive system, assimilates nutrients, eliminates toxins and fluid retention, and alleviates degenerative conditions of skin, hair, eyes, and fleshy organs such as the liver and pancreas. It stimulates the pineal gland and balances hormonal cycles, being excellent for PMS, conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and breast-feeding. Moonstone is also beneficial to men in opening the emotional self.
Occurrence and Properties of Moonstone –
Deposits of moonstone occur in Armenia (mainly from Lake Sevan), Australia, the Austrian Alps, Mexico, Madagascar, Myanmar, Norway, Poland, India, Sri Lanka and the United States.
The most common moonstone is of the orthoclase feldspar mineral adularia, named for an early mining site near Mt. Adular in Switzerland, now the town of St. Gotthard. Solid solution of the plagioclase feldspar oligoclase +/- the potassium feldspar orthoclase also produces moonstone specimens.
As ancient as the moon itself, the meaning of Moonstone lies within its energy. This power can nourish, give passion, and awaken your feminine energies. It can heal and guide you to your inner path. Together with the waxing and waning of the moon, it evokes tranquility that has a sensual, esoteric feel to it. It exudes a glowing vitality that can re-energize the mind and body and wash negativity away. Since it is enveloped by strong rays of gold, blue, and purple, Moonstone is perpetually embraced with gleaming white energy that makes it a protective gem.
Even though moonstone ranks between 6 and 6.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, it can be prone to breaking due to the cleavage within the stone. Cleavage is the tendency for a stone to break along its planes or layers. Most moonstone is cut into cabochon shapes. Domed cabochons highlight the stone’s adularescence and opaqueness. In recent years, more designers are experimenting with faceted shapes, yielding good results from more transparent varieties of the stone.
The moonstone is the Florida State Gemstone; it was designated as such in 1970 to commemorate the Moon landings, which took off from Kennedy Space Center. Despite it being the Florida State Gemstone, it does not naturally occur in the state.
Metaphysical Properties of Moonstone: Moonstone is a powerful gem that can mean a lot of things with its diverse healing effects. It is a balancing gem, a birthstone, a lucky stone, a sacred crystal, a piece of eccentric jewelry, and a wedding gift. But one thing rings the loudest, Moonstone is from the magic of the moon.
Some of the healing properties associated with this stone include:
- Enhances intuition
- Makes wearer more accepting of change
- Alleviates fear associated with change
- Balances emotions
- Promotes a calm mood
- Encourages peace, harmony, and balance
- Improves confidence
- Helps a person become more passionate
A gem for intuition, balance, and wishes, Moonstone helps harbor our feminine side. It can aid in distinguishing what is merely needed in life versus what is wanted. Aside from being a stone of protection for traveling at night, voyaging at sea, childbirth, and pregnancy, it also cleanses the digestive system and cures obesity, water retention, and menstrual problems. Linked with the crown, third eye, and heart chakras, Moonstone calms and relieves stress while releasing the love of all kinds.
Uses and Benefits of Moonstone –
Since moonstone is a softer opaque stone, it can be carved into unique shapes. One of the most common shapes is the man in the moon face. This face has been incorporated into jewelry since ancient times. It is a balancing gem, a birthstone, a lucky stone, a sacred crystal, a piece of eccentric jewelry, and a wedding gift.
Moonstone found its way into jewelry throughout history, but it wasn’t until the early 1900s that the stone became an iconic and important focal point. In the years preceding the Art Nouveau Era, moonstone was often used as a small accent stone. Some man in the moon pieces existed, but these were rare and less common.
The Moonstone Crystal reminds us to go with the flow, which doesn’t always mesh perfectly with the demands of modern life. Resonating the mysterious and enchanting moonscape, the Moonstone crystal stone is like a painted landscape of moonlight on a clear night sky. Its distinctive sheen reflects a rainbow of pearly hues like blue, yellow, silvery gray, and white, which symbolize the moon and its connection to fluctuating moods and the ever-flowing cycles of life.
The moonstone crystal properties are deeply rooted in ancient philosophies, especially its effects on opening the heart chakra. Moonstone was a favorite setting in gold and silver jewelry among the ancients from India and the Celtic tribes of Europe. This dreamy gemstone is a type of feldspar that forms parallel structures within the crystal matrix, which balances light back-and-forth in a natural phenomenon called labradorescence, the miracle of light also found in Labradorite and Blue Moonstone.
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