Moonstone: The Gemstone of Soft Light Beneath the Surface

Uniqueness of Soft Light and Color Moonstone is a feldspar-group gemstone renowned for the optical phenomenon known as adularescence, which produces a soft, mist-like glow beneath the gem's surface that appears to float and move as the piece is viewed from different angles. Bodycolors range from colorless, white, gray, green, peach, to brown, while the adularescent sheen can appear white or blue depending on the internal microstructure and quality of each specimen.

Mineralogical Diversity and Trade Nomenclature Traditional moonstone is typically described as orthoclase feldspar containing alternating microscopic layers of albite. However, other feldspar species such as labradorite and sanidine can also exhibit adularescence. Consequently, the gemstone known in the trade as Rainbow Moonstone is actually labradorite, rather than traditional orthoclase moonstone.