Hi , my trade name is Moonstone....

[pregcurious]

---goes over to Gem Shopping Network

 

[ringmaven]

Thanks for the nice words, everyone!

 

[LD]

Labradorite is very distinct looking and nothing like Moonstone. The labradorescence in Labradorite is very distinct. I use a lot of it in my jewellery making but you have to be careful because dyed Labradorite is in abundance. It's reasonably easy to spot a dyed one - unlike some other stones. The most expensive ones are the stones with purple flash and they are also the most difficult to find but the peach/orange ones are very interesting and some of the green ones look like a forest bathed in moonlight.

Moonstone on the other hand always looks the same and either has a blue flash or not. A good one is beautiful but they're difficult to find. Ones that only flash when you orient the stone in a particular way are common and very easy (and cheap) to find.

 

[Arcadian]

LD, if you read some of the links in the first post, you'll see that 'moonstone' is a trade name. Traditional Orthoclase feldspar is whats known as moonstone, however, there is also rainbow moonstone which is labradorite, and visually they can look the same.

Most of the independent labs recognize this, even though chemically they're different but will state that they are 'moonstone in the trade'.

There's also a white labradorite which some mistake for rainbow moonstone which is not at all and thats kind of also very interesting in its own right.


A purist will not accept so called 'rainbow moonstone' no matter what the trade calls it, but being its a consumer board, I felt it was something we should discuss and have out there.

http://www.jckonline.com/article/294337-Labradorite_s_Blue_Rainbow_Moonstone_.php

I don't think its a bad thing as long as you know what you're getting.

 

[T L]

Here's a really cool piece of labradorite. Could something like this be possibly dyed?

 

[LD]

It could TL. I've not seen a piece with those distinct colour bandings - the edges between colours are usually blended and merged. A dyed Labradorite typically looks and feels a bit waxy and may have what looks like blood in veins. I've got one and if I remember I'll take a photo tomorrow to show you. If this is natural and undyed it's quite a unique piece. I like it very much!

Arc - I didn't read the links but I think this may be an across the pond thing. White Labradorite is sold over here as white labradorite and if memory serves me, it's only from one locale. I've got Africa in my head but that could be wrong. Moonstone is sold as moonstone and interestingly a few years ago you would see the term "rainbow moonstone" but I haven't seen that for a while. Labradorite though is never sold as Moonstone.

I'm not sure if Spectrolite has been mentioned in earlier posts? Now I love that!

At the end of the day, they're all Feldspars though!

 

[LD]

TL this is a dyed lab. It's not a particularly good one but can you see what looks like blood in the veins? Some are very blue and it's more difficult to spot the dye.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/45-00Cts-FANTASTIC-PINK-COLOR-LABRADORITE-CUSHION-CABOCHON-TREATED-TOP-GEMSTONE-/251879144714?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aa52abd0a

 

[T L]

TL this is a dyed lab. It's not a particularly good one but can you see what looks like blood in the veins? Some are very blue and it's more difficult to spot the dye.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/45-00Cts-FANTASTIC-PINK-COLOR-LABRADORITE-CUSHION-CABOCHON-TREATED-TOP-GEMSTONE-/251879144714?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aa52abd0a

LD, I can't believe that was dyed. Isn't enhancement supposed to make the gem more appealing? That's hideous, ewwwwww!

 

[pregcurious]

That is quite unpleasant looking. Seeing that was like seeing something gruesome looking. I wanted to click away from it immediately.

 

[Marlow]

The one LD postet ( gemstone????) looks indeed dyed - you easily see not typical pink color in the fissures.

But the cab TL postet - I have seen many stones (spectrolite) like that - in the center you see some blue color in the yellow part - but this could be natural...or treated...don't know!

I would put it in alcohol for a while....

But I noticed that in gemshow chinese and indian vendor use some kind of silicon oil - they spray it on the gems and mix them with their hand - so many are def. treated

So you can't see the dust course they treat them like a bag of potatos....

 

[T L]

The one LD postet ( gemstone????) looks indeed dyed - you easily see not typical pink color in the fissures.

But the cab TL postet - I have seen many stones (spectrolite) like that - in the center you see some blue color in the yellow part - but this could be natural...or treated...don't know!

I would put it in alcohol for a while....

But I noticed that in gemshow chinese and indian vendor use some kind of silicon oil - they spray it on the gems and mix them with their hand - so many are def. treated

So you can't see the dust course they treat them like a bag of potatos....

If it's not treated, and you put it in alcohol, it won't hurt a non-treated stone, right?

How long would you keep it in alcohol?

 

[Arcadian]

The one LD postet ( gemstone????) looks indeed dyed - you easily see not typical pink color in the fissures.

But the cab TL postet - I have seen many stones (spectrolite) like that - in the center you see some blue color in the yellow part - but this could be natural...or treated...don't know!

I would put it in alcohol for a while....

But I noticed that in gemshow chinese and indian vendor use some kind of silicon oil - they spray it on the gems and mix them with their hand - so many are def. treated

So you can't see the dust course they treat them like a bag of potatos....

Marlow, this is interesting that you say this. I talked to a vendor who says that yes, they use oil when shipping because the stones can break. I'm not sure what type of oil, it was not disclosed, but very interesting as I just had a convo with a vendor about this very issue. I also know that orthoclase moonstone can also be waxed.

I will admit that I don't mind treatments when they're disclosed, as it gives me the option of turning a stone down, but sheesh, this makes me nuts....

If alcohol can remove the oil, do you think acetone would as well? Considering how much I do my nails, I got more pure acetone laying around than I do alcohol...lol

I do indeed like spectrolite too but I have a lot of fear that whats out there is treated in some way.


Here's my itty bitty 5ct cab of labradorite. I got it for way cheap, about 5 dollars on ebay many years ago but its very pretty. Never had it tested for anything considering how cheap it was.

 

[Arcadian]

It could TL. I've not seen a piece with those distinct colour bandings - the edges between colours are usually blended and merged. A dyed Labradorite typically looks and feels a bit waxy and may have what looks like blood in veins. I've got one and if I remember I'll take a photo tomorrow to show you. If this is natural and undyed it's quite a unique piece. I like it very much!

Arc - I didn't read the links but I think this may be an across the pond thing. White Labradorite is sold over here as white labradorite and if memory serves me, it's only from one locale. I've got Africa in my head but that could be wrong. Moonstone is sold as moonstone and interestingly a few years ago you would see the term "rainbow moonstone" but I haven't seen that for a while. Labradorite though is never sold as Moonstone.

I'm not sure if Spectrolite has been mentioned in earlier posts? Now I love that!

At the end of the day, they're all Feldspars though!

The white labradorite I've heard about is coming from india, but it could also come from africa, I don't know for sure. But, it is unfortunately being sold as moonstone, and not just here in the states. There's a few pages I can't put up because well..you know...but they go into some interesting detail about this stuff.

The whole rainbow moonstone thing is pretty interesting. Moonstone in general is as well, which is why I started the whole shebang...lol

A bit of a blurb from Wikipedia (yes I know, can't take it as gospel but I think its appropriate)

The gemstone commonly called rainbow moonstone is more properly a colorless form of labradorite and can be distinguished from "true" moonstone by its greater transparency and play of color, although their value and durability do not greatly differ.

I like that, its appropriate, and of course the more I get into this stuff the more twists there are to it...but I figure if we put our collective heads together we can better understand it.

Below are 'rainbow moonstone' which to my knowledge have no treatment. Doesn't mean they couldn't be treated, just that I wouldn't know unless I sent them off to be tested, but what I know for sure is that these are not orthoclase feldspar by the color. If I had not embarked on this journey I would never ever know...and I think there's lots of consumers in the same boat.

From a basic pretty gem standpoint, I think they could do very well actually do well if haloed, because they show really good color in person, (just hard as hell to photograph) from a collector's standpoint they should be vetted for treatment and proper identificaton.

 

[Marlow]

It was a bit ironic....

They use oil course they put them in large plastic bags ( cheap stones like amazonite, amethystcabs etc. )
They scratch each other and so they hide the chips and marks...

Alkohol is normally no problem except amber, pearls - you know them.

The alcohol will show whether there is color in the surface fissures. The wax, dye and other treatments as long as we buy it and it looks good in the show...

I don't collect feldspar - maybe some sri lanka moonstone or rare ones like mint green from vietnam. Feldspar is difficult if you only use standard gemmo instruments...

 

[chrono]

Oil on the surface of gems lessens the appearance of damage (cracks, abrasion, etc).

 

[digdeep]

Sooooooooo, since you mentioned 'white labradorite' from India...........could that be what this pic is? It was labeled as moonstone, and was by a seller in India. It seems that the blue color and the veins look a lot more like traditional dark labradorite than moonstone. I feel the rabbit hole closing in..........

 

[Arcadian]

Sooooooooo, since you mentioned 'white labradorite' from India...........could that be what this pic is? It was labeled as moonstone, and was by a seller in India. It seems that the blue color and the veins look a lot more like traditional dark labradorite than moonstone. I feel the rabbit hole closing in..........

Yeah that looks like white labradorite to me. It can be pretty but the stuff is cheap as chips from what I've seen on the internet. That stone is also really super shiny like its wet, so possible oil of some type as well?

 

[Marlow]

The "oil" is not permanent - more like a skin lotion

But this material is really cheap! I don't think they treat is - they have enough!

 

[Arcadian]

The "oil" is not permanent - more like a skin lotion

But this material is really cheap! I don't think they treat is - they have enough!

You mean to make it look pretty enough to sell? Ok I can accept that to a degree. But more often than not its done to sell the stone so that its more palatable to the buyer (i.e., lessen the look of inclusions, make the stone look 'better') and its quite often not disclosed prior to purchase.

I still feel thats even oiled, no matter how temporary it is, hides the truth about the stone. The gem labs definitely consider oiling to be a treatment type and we should as well.

 

[Marlow]

Yes - a bit cosmetic for the show....natural untreated silicon oil you can use for bicycle or the gate in your garden....

Most times bought by ( SORRY!!!) some funny dressed Ladies who "feel" the energy of the stone.....

 

[digdeep]

Thanks, and I agree that anything done to the stone to enhance it is a treatment. Temporary though it may be......still a treatment.
This is an educational thread as I thought labradorite was a 'safe' stone from treatments/abuses and I had never heard of white
labradorite!

Ummm, no more comments about 'funny dressed ladies' and oil.............. LOL!!

 

[Arcadian]

oh marlow we weren't gonna go there but I guess that door was wide open.....

 

[mochiko42]

I asked about a few blue sheen moonstones at the September show in HK and both the Indian and Burmese vendors I talked do said the stones were heat only, no other treatment. Of course this was only what they said and I could not verify it, but surprisingly several different vendors mentioned heat treatment for blue sheen moonstones. I didn't hear anything about oil but I wouldn't be surprised if oil was used too..

 

[Arcadian]

I asked about a few blue sheen moonstones at the September show in HK and both the Indian and Burmese vendors I talked do said the stones were heat only, no other treatment. Of course this was only what they said and I could not verify it, but surprisingly several different vendors mentioned heat treatment for blue sheen moonstones. I didn't hear anything about oil but I wouldn't be surprised if oil was used too..

Wow, thats interesting. I wonder why heat treating? and what TYPE, you know what I mean? What were the price points on the stones?

 

[mochiko42]

I asked about a few blue sheen moonstones at the September show in HK and both the Indian and Burmese vendors I talked do said the stones were heat only, no other treatment. Of course this was only what they said and I could not verify it, but surprisingly several different vendors mentioned heat treatment for blue sheen moonstones. I didn't hear anything about oil but I wouldn't be surprised if oil was used too..

Wow, thats interesting. I wonder why heat treating? and what TYPE, you know what I mean? What were the price points on the stones?

I posted some info in two threads last year after visiting the show, pics are there too.. Sorry I can't repost the pics here as I don't know how to do it in Tapatalk [emoji33]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/eye-candy-from-the-hk-gem-and-jewelry-show-nov.208401/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/eye-candy-from-the-hk-gem-and-jewelry-show-nov.208401/[/URL]

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/all-about-feldspar-moonstone-labradorite-sunstone-etc.208567/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/all-about-feldspar-moonstone-labradorite-sunstone-etc.208567/[/URL]

For the couple of vendors where I asked for the prices, the blue sheen moonstone (not labradorite, they were orthoclase I believe but uncerted), prices ranged from US $30/ct for sub 5ct stones from Burma to $100/ct for larger stones from Sri Lanka (if buying by individual stone and not parcel). this was not representative of overall pricing , just the prices at two vendors that I stopped by. This was the Nov show in HK,not Sept. (sorry I mixed up the dates as I went to both Sept and Nov shows..) [emoji4]

 

[Arcadian]

@mochiko thanks for the links. I will give them a read today (while I'm in meetings )