Moonstone is one of those rare gemstones that seems to hold light rather than simply reflect it, and it has been casting its spell on humans for a very long time. From ancient folklore to the science of what creates that ethereal glow, there is more to this stone than meets the eye. Here are seven reasons we love it.
1. That glow has a name - and it's as magical as it looks The floating, billowing light inside a moonstone is called adularescence, and it is unlike anything else in the natural world. It happens because moonstone is made of two types of feldspar layered together at a microscopic level - as light passes through, it scatters between the layers, creating a floating, luminous glow reminiscent of moonlight on water. The light appears to come from within. Because, in a way, it does.
2. Made from the Moon? Stories about moonstone have always leaned toward the magical - that it was formed from moonlight frozen into stone, or that it fell from the moon itself. Where those stories began, nobody quite knows. Perhaps they were just whimsical tales told to children (I actually believed Moonstone was literal moon rock as a kid!).Perhaps they were simply the only explanation that felt right for a stone that looks like that. Either way, they are worth keeping.
3. A traveller's talisman Moonstone has long been carried as a protective charm for those journeying at night - sailors, wanderers, anyone moving through the dark. It was considered especially powerful for travel over water, where the moon's reflection on the waves made the connection between stone and sky feel undeniable. In many traditions it was believed to be especially powerful when worn during a full moon, offering safe passage and clear sight to those who needed it most.
4. The stone of the moon goddess Moonstone has been sacred to the Greek goddess Artemis (or Diana in Roman myth) - goddess of the moon, the hunt, and the wild - for thousands of years. Protector of women and keeper of hidden knowledge, to wear moonstone was to carry her protection.
5. No two moonstones are the same The adularescence in every moonstone is entirely unique, shaped by the specific layering of minerals inside that particular stone, formed over millions of years. The colour, the direction of the light, the depth of the glow - all of it is one of a kind.
6. One type of moonstone isn't actually moonstone at all Moonstone comes in several varieties - white, grey, peach, and ethereal blue - but rainbow moonstone, with its vivid dancing flashes of colour, is technically a variety of labradorite. Both are members of the feldspar family, which is why they look so similar, but the optical effect is different: true moonstone produces adularescence, that soft singular glow, while labradorite produces labradorescence - light scattered across a broader spectrum, creating those rainbow flashes. Cousins, not twins. Both magical, in their own way.
7. Moonstone loves moonlight Many believe moonstone absorbs and amplifies the energy of the moon, and that placing it under a full moon restores its power and deepens its glow. It can also be cleansed with sound (bells or with selenite, or by burning herbs or incense nearby. A stone of the night, it is best kept from prolonged direct sunlight, which can fade its lustre over time.