Precious stones have been a fixture in jewelry collections for centuries. Diamonds, emeralds, topaz and garnet as well as a variety of countless others are cut, polished and affixed to precious metals and worn by anyone that can afford to purchase them. Many of these creations can be extremely expensive. However, there are an array of stones that are unique, beautiful and inexpensive that are commonly placed in jewelry pieces such as rings, necklaces and bracelets. A particularly interesting form of jewelry is a moonstone ring, which is a piece constructed with the use of moonstone.
Some may know of this naturally occurring mineral from Bella’s moonstone ring in the Twilight movies; moonstone refers to a combination of elements that combine in nature to form a mineral that is opalescent or pearly in color. Light passes easily through the stone and is scattered in many different directions, which slightly changes the color and look of the stone. In geological and scientific terms, this combination of minerals is sodium potassium aluminum silicate, which all combines during a chemical change when the elements are in their molten state. Common moonstone is actually made up of two distinct species of rock, which are orthoclase and albite. When these two come together, they become intertwined as one piece of rock with alternating layers. Light can easily pass through these layers and is dispersed throughout the stone in many different directions. This produces a phenomenon termed adularescence, which gives the stone its pearl like semi transparent to opaque look. Moonstone is found in natural deposits all over the world, in places like Australia, Madagascar, Myanmar, parts of Europe and in the United States. Its uses mainly revolve around jewelry and it is often seen in rings, necklaces, pendants and bracelets.
Moonstone has no practical use but for jewelry making purposes. It is less common in men’s jewelry and more commonly used in women’s rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Uncut or raw moonstone is a lackluster material that doesn’t look like it would clean up well enough to be considered gem quality. A skilled cutter however can hone and cut a piece of moonstone so that adularescence is maximized and the stone appears shiny and polished. The common shape that moonstone is cut in is the cabochon which is simply a rounded cut with not facets like are seen in diamonds and many other cut stones. The most common overall shape is that of a circle or oval which maximizes the amount of light that can enter the stone and be refracted.
Round and oval cuts are commonly seen in rings of varying designs. Sizes vary from a half carat to several carats and some jewelers and cutters also use a faceted cut. The stones often take on a gray or pearl color but also come in oranges, peach and sand tones. Some ring designs have smaller diamonds that complement a much larger moonstone and are crafted of gold or silver. The color of the moonstone will largely determine the type of metal it will be set in. Gray or white stones go well with most any metal however, oranges or peaches tend to clash with silver or other light colored metals.
Largely, moonstones are an inexpensive stone and moonstone rings or other jewelry can often retail for under 100 dollars. Rings with extra stones like diamonds that are made of gold, platinum or silver will retail for more, depending on their exact design and characteristics of other materials. For a more specific example, a sterling silver ring with a 5 by 7 millimeter (approx 1 carat weight) moonstone can retail for about 20 to 30 dollars online. Price goes up with the size of the stone and a several carat silver moonstone ring will still be under 100 dollars assuming cut and polish are good. Gold, platinum and other more expensive precious metal alloys with moonstones can easily cost a few hundred dollars, and into the thousands if diamonds or other rare and valuable stones are added to the piece. A moonstone gold ring with no other stones in it can go for about 280 to 300 dollars. Rainbow moonstone rings parallel prices for true moonstone; the mineral from which rainbow moonstone is named is actually colorless and is a distinctly different material with similar properties to true moonstone.
Orthoclase albite, more commonly known as moonstone, is another one of the vast array of precious materials used for jewelry. If you have never seen a moonstone ring, the material is truly unique and elegant. What’s more is that it is incredibly inexpensive compared to high end gem stones like diamond, ruby, sapphire and topaz. Jewelry made from moonstone is readily available both online and in department or specialist jewelry stores. Have fun searching for your perfect moonstone!