What Is Moonstone? Properties, Colors, Types, Meaning, Healing Propert

What Is Moonstone?

Moonstone is usually colorless to white, transparent or translucent, and is named for its special moonlight effect.

Known as the lover's stone, moonstone is a symbol of friendship and love, making it a perfect gift for a loved one; it is also the June birthstone, symbolizing love, passion, and inner growth.

The Moonstone Birthstone: A June Birthstone

“What is my birthstone” is a common internet search. The list of birthstones by month was officially composed by the Jewelers of America in 1912.

If you’re a Gemini, born between May 21- Juin 21, you’re in luck: you might be drawn to this beautiful stone, a gift from the goddess of the moon to humankind, as it is one of the three June birthstones, the other two being pearls and alexandrite.

What is moonstone? Properties, meaning, healing properties, benefits and jewelry

Satya Jewelry Drift Into Daydreams Moonstone Ring $149, SHOP NOW.

Legends

In ancient Rome, it was believed that moonstones were formed by moonlight and that the shadow of Diana, the goddess of moonlight, could be seen in them. The ancient Greeks considered this stone to be a symbol of Venus, the goddess of beauty and love, with emerald being another love stone of Venus.

They are convinced that moonstones are very powerful during the full moon and can give the wearer a sixth sense. It is also known as the "prophecy stone" because it enhances the ability to foretell the future, and the "traveler's stone" because of its ability to protect those who travel.

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that gazing at the moonstone would make a person fall asleep and allow him or her to foretell the future from dreams.

In East Indian legend, the moonstone is the symbol of the third eye and is able to purify the spirit. In addition, they also have a mythology that the moonstone can bring good luck.

During the Art Nouveau period in the 19th century, moonstone was loved by artisans.

To this day, in certain Arabian countries, moonstones are often sewn into clothing as a symbol of wealth. In modern India, moonstones are still considered a sacred symbol and are known as the dream stone because they can give the wearer beautiful visions at night.

In deed, apart from legends, moonstone is classified as one of the most magical gems, due to its special luster and smooth texture. All in all, everyone loves moonstones!

Moonstone Properties

Raw moonstones $3, SHOP NOW.

Moonstone is a mineral produced by the layered interaction of orthoclase feldspar and sodium feldspar. They are mostly transparent or translucent, with a hardness of 6.5-6/10, refractive index of 1.52-1.53 and specific gravity of 2.57.

The Moon-Like Shimmer

The moonstone is named for their special moon-like shimmer, i.e. a white, silver, blue or rainbow glow on the surface.

This is due to the fact that the layered cryptocrystals of the two feldspars intersect each other in parallel but have slightly different refractive indices, so they scatter visible light, sometimes with interference or diffraction; therefore, the combined effect of feldspars on light produces the unique glows on the moonstone surface.

As one of the most valuable and popular stones on earth, moonstone is mild and pure, with a beautiful glow reminiscent of the bright moon. Its beauty and meanings are what makes it so attractive.

Moonstone Colors

Moonstones have a wide range of base colors. Besides the common colorless to white moonstone, we can also find yellow moonstone, gray moonstone, brown moonstone, blue moonstone, green moonstone, iridescent moonstone, pink moonstone and black moonstone.

Types of Moonstones

We usually classify moonstones according to their glows instead of base colors.

1. White Moonstone

Rosery Poetry Moonstone ring vintage style $66.9, SHOP NOW.

White or silver moonstone with a white glimmer. Due to its large production, white moonstone is common in the market and is relatively cheaper.

2. Blue Moonstone

Natural Blue Moonstones $12, SHOP NOW.

Blue moonstone is the most valuable variety of moonstone, with a transparent base and a slight blue moonlight-like glimmer. Prices vary depending on the crystal and the intensity of the blue glow.

In comparison, white moonstone is usually white with fewer impurities, while blue moonstone is blue-gray in color with relatively more impurities.

3. Rainbow Moonstone

Natural Fire Flashy Rainbow Moonstone $3, SHOP NOW.

The glow of rainbow moonstones is yellow, pink, red or green in color, instead of the common white or blue color that we see.

Strictly speaking, the rainbow moonstone is not a moonstone, since it is composed of calcium-sodium plagioclase. However, because the two are very similar (many blue moonstones on the market have a rainbow colored glow), it is nowadays recognized as a moonstone, and merchants often sell these two together.

4. Gray Moonstone

The gray moonstone we are talking about here is what we commercially call gray moonstone, i.e. the gem-quality labradorite. Strictly speaking, it is not a moonstone, which belongs to the potassium feldspar family. It belongs to the plagioclase family.

Why do we do this? It is because the gray moonstone of the potassium feldspar family is really ugly and has nothing particularly outstanding; instead, the translucent labradorite stone of gem-quality is really beautiful and valuable.

This gray moonstone, known as labradorite, has a mixture of blue, cyan and yellow glow, is gray in color, has impurities, mostly with cracks, and has a special optical effect under certain angles and light sources. Price vary depending on the crystal and the intensity of the glimmer.

In terms of scarcity and aesthetic and economic values, rainbow moonstone > blue moonstone> gray moonstone> white moonstone.

5. Black Moonstone

Black moonstone is a variety of moonstone. It shares the healing properties of other varieties of moonstones and can provide extra protection thanks to its color.

6. The Cat’s Eye Moonstone

In addition to the blue glow, moonstones also have a "chatoyancy" effect, which is often referred to as the "cat's eye effect". When we shine a bright light on a cat's eye moonstone, a thin, bright reflection appears on its surface, which makes it look like a cat's eye.

Moonstone Meaning: Love, Passion, Inner Growth, and Feminine Energy

Satya Jejwelry Drift Into Daydreams Moonstone Gemstone Necklace $99, SHOP NOW.

The scientific name for moonstone is "hecatolite." This is derived from "Hecate," the Greek goddess of the moon, which reflects an association that goes back to ancient times.

The Ancient Greeks and Romans associated moonstones with mystery, passion, feminine energy, and the changing seasons. Throughout the centuries, travelers have also relied on moonstone talismans for protection during long voyages.

Today, the moonstone is known as one of the birthstones for the month of June, symbolizing love, passion, inner growth.

Black Moonstone Meaning

As the name suggests, black moonstone is a black or dark brown variation of the traditional white-gray moonstone. Like a full moon on a dark, bleak night, the black moonstone can symbolize clarity during difficult times.

Black moonstones also have a grounding effect when used in energy work. While the whitish moonstones are associated with the divine and elevated consciousness, black or brown varieties serve as a reminder to stay present in the material world.

Moonstone Healing Properties

Rosery Poetry Moonstone wedding ring with a real moon stone and diamond cz $62.9, SHOP NOW.

Moonstone Emotional Healing Properties

No matter what's happening down on Earth, mankind can always rely on the phases of the moon to mark the changing tides and seasons. In a similar fashion, moonstones can provide you with emotional stability during the difficult seasons of your life.

Rather than tackling your problems with creativity and enthusiasm, the moonstone urges you to turn your gaze inward and build up your inner strength. If spiritual healing is the goal, connecting with this stone allows you to confront and process your darkest emotions.

A moonstone's ability to heal can be focused even further depending on the color of the stone.

A white moonstone is good for providing overall clarity and peace.

Gray moonstones are associated with romantic relationships, so they can be helpful for supporting healthy communication and balanced partnerships.

Depression, anxiety, or resentment can be tempered with peachy or yellowish moonstones.

Finally, rainbow moonstones can have the ability to bring a little extra luck and spice to your life, much like a rainbow in the sky.

Moonstone Physical Healing Properties

Moonstones are believed to balance the body's rhythmic processes like digestion, hormone secretion, and sleep-wake cycles.

Additionally, the moonstone's connection to the divine feminine can provide additional healing support to women ranging from PMS symptoms, fertility health, and childbirth.

Their calming energy can also help to reduce stress and anxiety, which improves accompanying physical symptoms like upset stomachs, headaches, and muscle tension.

To harness the physical healing properties of moonstones, you can simply wear moonstone jewelry, which allows the stone’s energy to remain in close contact with your body throughout the day.

Alternatively, try placing a moonstone on the affected area during meditation or relaxation sessions to target specific concerns. For menstrual relief, lying down with a moonstone positioned on the lower abdomen is believed to help alleviate cramps and hormonal imbalances.

Feel free to experiment with different methods to find the one that helps you feel your best.

Moonstone Metaphysical Properties

Due to its relationship with the moon, the moonstone is believed to enhance psychic abilities and provide a deeper connection to the subconscious mind.

To amplify their metaphysical properties, practitioners often charge moonstones by placing them under the light of the full moon, allowing them to absorb the moon’s energy during its most potent phase. This practice is believed to cleanse and recharge the stone, enhancing its spiritual vibrations.

Moonstones can also be paired with other crystals to bolster their healing power. Combining them with amethyst can deepen intuitive abilities, while pairing them with rose quartz can amplify emotional healing and self-love. Clear quartz is another excellent companion, as it can magnify the energy of the moonstone, making it even more effective in energy work.

Production and Mining Sites

The magical, beautiful and precious moonstone is mainly produced in Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Brazil, Mexico and the European Alps, among which Sri Lanka produces the most precious ones.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan moonstones are generally creamy or white, translucent, with a light blue halo (yes, only blue). They are very moist and gives a comfortable feeling. Most of the moonstone crystals from Sri Lanka are large and creamy, with only a few transparent and colorless ones.

Sri Lankan moonstone fluoresces pink when exposed to short-wave ultraviolet light, while under long-wave ultraviolet light, there is no or only a very weak fluorescence.

India

Indian moonstone has a rainbow or blue glow, and are mostly transparent glass-like crystals with visible inclusions and cracks. Moonstones without inclusions or cracks are much more valuable, but the crystal tends to be usually small if you want to remove them.

Therefore, Indian jewelers often cut the stone with cracks inside the crystal for a larger size, so that they can inlaid the stone on rings made of 925 silver, or make beads or large pieces of ore for carving.

Myanmar

Burmese moonstone is usually glassy, high quality but mostly has a weak blue glow (A few have a relatively strong blue light). The blue glow will look more intense when photographed under fluorescent light.

The Burmese like to inlay moonstone with copper and make the jewelry in a simple style, similar to their habit of selling Feicui jadeite. When photographed in natural light after inlaying, we can see that Burmese moonstones have a weak blue light and do not make outstanding jewelry for everyday wear.

Rainbow moonstone necklace $49, SHOP NOW.

Moonstone Cleansing and Charging

1. Purify With Salt

The standard way to cleanse and purify a moonstone crystal is to use salt.

How do we do it? If you use large grains of salt, then simply put the salt on a plate or dish and then bury the stone within the salt for about 24 hours. Reminder, it can be longer than 24 hours, but not shorter. This is very effective and can last up to 3 months with a single purification, also called 100-day purification.

If we use small grains of salt instead, we need to prepare a liquid in the ratio of 10 grams of kosher salt to 500 grams of water, and put the crystal into the liquid and soak it for 24 hours. Since the small grains of kosher salt are less energetic, you can carry it for about 1 month continuously for one purification.

2. Purify With Clear Water

Moonstone and its energy come from nature, so we can also use natural methods to help cleanse and purify the stone. Place the stone in a flowing stream or river and rinse it with water for 20 minutes before drying it. If this is not possible, buy a bottle of mineral water and soak the crystal in it for 24 hours. This helps to remove the negative energy.

3. Smudging

To be honest, this is one of the most commonly used method. All that we need to do is simply put the crystal in the room and let the smoke of essential oil, sage or sandalwood ( please remember to use natural essential oil without added chemicals) to work the magic.

4. Charge with a Crystal Cluster

Cleansing with a crystal cluster is the easiest and most convenient method. The crystal cluster itself has a very strong energy. It can not only purify the stone, but also charge it. All we need to do is to place the stone on the crystal cluster overnight.

5. Charge in the Moonlight

On the night of the full moon, place the crystals on a windowsill facing the moon. You can also place them outside if it is safe to do so. If needed, cover them with a glass jar or bowl to provide extra protection. Moonlight will charge the crystals overnight.