Moonstones.

[MINE!!]

I saw a nice moonstone for the first time the other day and I just kep going back to it to pick it up again. I was wonderful. Anyone have any knowledge about them or opinions?

The picture just does not do these stones justice. Until I saw them in person I thought they were quite... boring.. But whe you look at a nice one.. it looks almost.. weirdly supernatural

 

[MINE!!]

Here is one

 

[MINE!!]

Here is another color.. I Beleive it comes in a red color too.

 

[MINE!!]

YUMMY

 

[MINE!!]

Another..

 

[MINE!!]

Last one.. Same necklace as above

 

[Sagebrush]

Mine,

Looks like an Adularia moonstone. Famous for the billowing blue adularesence. Some of the best used to come from Sri Lanka but larger ones are no longer available. Recently I have seen them, reputedly from India, back in the market. The Indian ones have a bit denser crystal and often a few visible inclusions but, I agree, they are a beautiful stone.

Worked a lot with them early in my career. Money was very tight and they were among the most beautiful lower priced gems I could find. A bit on the soft side, usually about 4.5 Mohs but no worries in a necklace.

The lady in the picture appears to be a gem as well and looks smashing in that necklace.

 

[belle]

did someone say moonstones!?

i think they are beautiful! the color is, of course, nearly impossible to capture in a photo but i thought i''d try!

 

[belle]

iolite and moonstone pendant....

 

[belle]

center stone is peach moostone flanked by rainbow moonstone with amythests and pearls....

 

[belle]

large moonstone surrounded by garnets....

 

[Nicrez]

would anyone know where I can get milky white faceted moonstone beads???

I am considering making a toursade with a possible diamond pave clasp (later on). I rally want to find faceted beads since I saw this look, and think it would make a very pretty wedding look... (could be my something bluish)

 

[Kaleigh]

I love moonstone and wish to get a pair of moonstone earrings. I think it''s beautiful!!!

 

[belle]

Date: 5/27/2005 11:13:24 AM
Author: Nicrez
would anyone know where I can get milky white faceted moonstone beads???

I am considering making a toursade with a possible diamond pave clasp (later on). I rally want to find faceted beads since I saw this look, and think it would make a very pretty wedding look... (could be my something bluish)

i think that is a great idea!! you should look on ebay, there is a great selection of moonstone there.

 

[Kaleigh]

nicerez,
That is a wonderful idea!!! I love their blue tint!!! have you tried www.beadstore.com ?? Or is it www.beadshop.com I can''t remember, maybe someone else will, it was mentioned a while ago.

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 5/27/2005 6:08:34 AM
Author: Richard W. Wise
Mine,


Looks like an Adularia moonstone. Famous for the billowing blue adularesence. Some of the best used to come from Sri Lanka but larger ones are no longer available. Recently I have seen them, reputedly from India, back in the market. The Indian ones have a bit denser crystal and often a few visible inclusions but, I agree, they are a beautiful stone.

Yes, the lady wears the necklace well, doesn''t she? But the stone is not adularia moonstone nor does it display adularescence. It''s a type of labradorite from India and the color effect is labradorescence. The two effects are not really similar because these stones display a "patchy" floating color while adularescence suffuses the entire stone. Both are beautiful in their unique ways.

My image shows a top quality of this material which is marketed as "Rainbow Moonstone," a misleading yet descriptive name: it''s not really moonstone but select gems occur in a rainbow of colors: red, orange, green, yellow, etc. They are quite hard to find and are expensive for this class of stones.

Real blue adularia, a type of microcline feldspar once produced in large quantity from northern Burma and Meetiyagoda, Sri Lanka, is now rather scarce as both sources have played out although a few nice gems are still on the market. It is very popular in Europe, especially Germany, since the name comes from the old Mt. Adular in Switzerland, an early source.

The hardness of this plagioclase is about Mohs 6 and like all feldspars it can split along cleavage planes when struck sharply. I wouldn''t recommend it for rings but it makes wonderful earrings, pins and necklaces, as we have seen above.

Richard M.

 

[MINE!!]

Thanks everyone for the input! I love these stones.

Nicrez... I too have thought of these for my wedding jewelry.. The are so beautiful!

 

[valeria101]

Date: 5/27/2005 3:28:41 PM
Author: MINE!!

Nicrez... I too have thought of these for my wedding jewelry.. The are so beautiful!

At some point, these were very fashionable wedding jewelry. What do you think of this one ?

A thick torsade of small "rainbow moonstone" beads would look great ! The small (5mm or less) ones look better because the material has lots of flaws inside which become part of the overall look in a load of small beads but may not be appealing in larger stones. The ones at Beadshop are nice (liked the gray version they call "feldspar" not "moostone"). That can be had for allot cheaper even if those prices are not high to begin with. Finding a clasp for a thick strand is a bit complicated if you insist on it being meant to be seen, as opposed to just holding the hank together.

Rainbow moonstone cabs look great if backed and allot more plain if not. I've seen lots used in rings and even though the surface gets scratched with wear over several years, chips are not likely and repolishing very easy. If you like the material, it can be worn in rings and bracelets.


ACstones has some gracious examples,

and Gemwow sellers used to list some straight wonderful ones (perhaps still there)...

These two show pretty well what that blue light is all about

 

[Richard M.]

All,

This is a faceted version of top-end inclusion-free "Rainbow Moonstone." The labradorescence is located in flat planes parallel with the table of the gem. As the stone moves it yields broad flashes of blue in various hues.

To correct an error in my previous post, adularia moonstone is not microcline feldspar as stated but albite crystals within an orthoclase matrix. Blue color is produced if the albite crystals are very fine; white adularescence results from thicker albite plates.

The orthoclase color may be white, beige, brown, red-brown, nearly black, yellowish or greenish as in the bottom image Ana posted.

One of the finest moonstones in the world is found in New Mexico, U.S.A. It''s sanidine feldspar with an incredible blue to white sheen. One of my friends discovered it years ago but the deposit would require very large expenditures to mine. Another fine U.S. moonstone comes from Virginia. Very small quantities of both are found but they compare with the world''s finest.

Richard M.

 

[Nicrez]

ooooohhh. Ana, where is that necklace from???!!!! It''s lovely!

Thanks for all the info... I love the faceted beads they look fantatstic, and quite interesting with the blue sheen...

 

[valeria101]

Date: 5/27/2005 4:52:22 PM
Author: Nicrez

Ana, where is that necklace from ?

An antique shop called Third Floor Antiques. The pice is advertised on Trocadero.com.


right click on picture shows THE LINK

 

[MJO]

Date: 5/27/2005 4:42:20 PM
Author: Richard M.
All,

This is a faceted version of top-end inclusion-free ''Rainbow Moonstone.'' The labradorescence is located in flat planes parallel with the table of the gem. As the stone moves it yields broad flashes of blue in various hues.

To correct an error in my previous post, adularia moonstone is not microcline feldspar as stated but albite crystals within an orthoclase matrix. Blue color is produced if the albite crystals are very fine; white adularescence results from thicker albite plates.

The orthoclase color may be white, beige, brown, red-brown, nearly black, yellowish or greenish as in the bottom image Ana posted.

One of the finest moonstones in the world is found in New Mexico, U.S.A. It''s sanidine feldspar with an incredible blue to white sheen. One of my friends discovered it years ago but the deposit would require very large expenditures to mine. Another fine U.S. moonstone comes from Virginia. Very small quantities of both are found but they compare with the world''s finest.

Richard M.

Richard M.,

I love that moonstone. Does your freind still have any to purchase?

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 5/27/2005 6:04:38 PM



I love that moonstone. Does your freind still have any to purchase?

If you mean the N.M. sanidine I don''t think so. The last I heard he was trying to persuade a mining company to take a chance on sinking a 200-foot shaft to try to locate the main deposit. Since that time I''ve heard the legal status of the property has changed and I''m no longer certain whether access is possible.

 

[MINE!!]

ANA... That is Gorgeous!! I love it!! I always thought it was one of those really yuucky cheap stones.. till I saw it in person... And heart be still it is sooo pretty!

 

[belle]

Date: 5/27/2005 4:42:20 PM
Author: Richard M.
All,

One of the finest moonstones in the world is found in New Mexico, U.S.A. It''s sanidine feldspar with an incredible blue to white sheen. One of my friends discovered it years ago but the deposit would require very large expenditures to mine. Another fine U.S. moonstone comes from Virginia. Very small quantities of both are found but they compare with the world''s finest.

Richard M.

wow! right in my backyard!

do you know, or are you able to say, where about the mining area is located?

 

[Kaleigh]

belle,
Get a shovel and dig girl, Lol!!!

 

[belle]

lmao......what do you think i''ve been doing all day!! i want to make sure i''m digging in the right place!

 

[Kaleigh]

God you just crack me up and always have the perfect come back!!! Now get back to digging and send me some nice rough.

 

[MINE!!]

LOL.. BELLE... Hmmmmm I have the weekend off....perhaps I could help you dig? LOL....

www.jegem.com has some great moonstones.. cool looks...

 

[belle]

hehehe......sounds good to me!! b.y.o.s. party at my house!!