Moonstone

Moonstone is admired for a soft, milky glow that seems to float beneath the surface and move as the stone is turned. It is one of the three modern birthstones for June, and one of two on the traditional United Kingdom list.

What it is

Moonstone is a feldspar, a mixture of layers of two feldspar minerals, orthoclase and albite, with a hardness of 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. The glow is called adularescence. It arises when light scatters off microscopic alternating layers inside the stone, and the best stones show a blue sheen on a nearly colourless body. Moonstone is also found in cream, peach, grey and brown, and rarer stones show a cat’s eye effect.

The name adularia, which is often used for the mineral, comes from the Adula massif in the Swiss Alps, which was an early source. Today the finest blue-sheen moonstones are associated with Sri Lanka, and other deposits are found in India, Myanmar, Madagascar and Tanzania.

History and culture

Roman writers, including Pliny the Elder, described a stone said to wax and wane with the phases of the moon, and it is often suggested that this was moonstone, although the identification is not certain. In India, moonstone has a long history as a sacred and decorative stone, and it has been given as a wedding gift in some traditions.

In Europe, moonstone had a revival in the late nineteenth century and the early twentieth, when designers of the Art Nouveau movement and the Arts and Crafts movement prized its soft glow. The jeweller René Lalique used it in some of his work. Moonstone also gave its name to a novel, Wilkie Collins’s The Moonstone of 1868, although the diamond in that story is fiction.

Moonstone is a June stone on both birthstone lists, alongside pearl, and alexandrite on the modern list. See the June birthstone page.

What crystal traditions associate with it

In many crystal traditions, moonstone is associated with the Moon itself, with cycles, intuition and emotional tides, and with the sign Cancer, which the Moon rules in Western astrology. It is also often linked with new beginnings, which some people connect with the new Moon. These are symbolic associations based on the stone’s glow and name.

How people use it

Some people wear moonstone on the day of a new Moon, and others set small stones on a windowsill overnight at full Moon as a personal ritual. Cabochon rings, pendants and earrings are widely worn, and the soft glow suits silver settings. A tumbled stone can be kept on a desk or in a pocket as a reminder to notice the Moon’s phase, which is a pleasant habit whether or not one believes in any further meaning.

Care and safety

• Moonstone has perfect cleavage in two directions, so it can chip or split if knocked. Protect rings from hard blows.
• Clean with lukewarm water and a soft cloth. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners.
• Keep away from hard surfaces when storing, and do not stack it with harder stones.
• Do not swallow stones or place them in drinks.

Natural and imitation

Glass imitations and treated stones are sold as moonstone, and some “rainbow moonstone” is actually a white labradorite, which is a different feldspar. That is not dishonest if labelled, but it is a different stone. Genuine moonstone shows a soft blue or white glow rather than a rainbow of colours.

Sourcing

Sri Lanka and India have a long tradition of small-scale mining, and Madagascar has had significant artisanal output with poor conditions. Ask about origin if it matters.

A note on health. Crystals are valued for beauty, meaning and ritual. There is no scientific evidence that they treat health conditions. If you are struggling with your health or mood, please speak to a doctor.

Frequently asked questions