Buying Moonstone: What to look out for and what good quality costs

You want to buy a moonstone – but don't know how to recognize good quality, what the stone should really cost, and what distinguishes fake or treated pieces? This comprehensive buying guide explains everything you need to know about moonstones before you buy. From geology to quality code, from at-home testing to prices per carat.

What exactly is a moonstone?

Moonstone belongs to the feldspar mineral group and consists of alternating layers of potassium feldspar (orthoclase) and sodium feldspar (albite). This micro-layering is the reason for the characteristic phenomenon of adularescence: a milky-blue glow that appears to move when the stone is rotated.

Adularescence is the only real "defect" a moonstone can have – without it, it is just an ordinary feldspar without any special quality.

Moonstone Varieties in a Buying Comparison

Classic Moonstone (White/Milky)

White to milky base tone, adularescence from silvery to blue. The most common type, available in all price ranges. Origin: Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Myanmar.

Rainbow Moonstone (Labradorite – often falsely sold as moonstone!)

Caution: What is often referred to as "Rainbow Moonstone" in trade is actually white labradorite – visually similar (blue shimmer on a white background), but mineralogically a different stone. It is not fake or inferior, but not a true moonstone. Dealers who sell it as moonstone without clarification are inaccurate.

Peach Moonstone (Peach/Champagne Moonstone)

Warm, peach to champagne base tone with a golden shimmer instead of blue. Primarily comes from India. Rarer than white moonstone, highly sought after for romantic jewelry.

Grey Moonstone

Gray-brown base tone with a silvery to blue shimmer. Often a stronger adularescence phenomenon than white moonstones. Very modern and trendy in contemporary design.

Black Moonstone

Dark gray to black base tone with a silver shimmer. Often a labradorite variety. Very "edgy" and modern in aesthetic.

Moonstone Quality: The 4 Most Important Factors

Factor 1: Adularescence Intensity

The most important quality feature. Evaluate:

• Intensity: Faint, milky shimmer to intense, brilliant blue. Intense blue = highest quality
• Centering: The streak of light should run centrally across the stone, not to one side
• Movement: The light should move fluidly when the stone is tilted
• Sharpness: Clear, focused glow is more valuable than diffuse radiance

Factor 2: Transparency and Clarity

Moonstones range from completely transparent to completely opaque. Generally, the more transparent, the more valuable (with simultaneously intense adularescence). Cloudy, turbid stones without a clear glow are of inferior quality.

Factor 3: Inclusions

Natural moonstones almost always have inclusions – this is normal and not a quality defect if they are small. Characteristic: "centipede inclusions" (small rods) and fractures. Large cracks or numerous inclusions reduce the value.

Factor 4: Cut

Moonstones are almost exclusively cut as cabochons – polished, without facets. The cabochon cut maximizes adularescence, as the light shimmers most beautifully on the curved surface. The quality of the cut influences how well the adularescence is displayed.

Moonstone Prices: What is Realistic?

Moonstones can be very cheap to very expensive – depending on quality:

• Simple quality (milky, weak adularescence): 5–30 € per stone / carat
• Medium quality (good glow, slightly cloudy): 30–100 € per carat
• High quality (intense blue, transparent): 100–500 € per carat
• Rare top quality (Blue Fire, Sri Lanka): 500–2,000 € per carat

Recognizing Moonstone Imitations

What is sometimes sold as moonstone but isn't?

• White glass: Has no true adularescence phenomenon; reflects differently
• Opalescent glass: Has a shimmer, but no true flowing streak of light
• White labradorite: Similar phenomenon, but different mineral (not fake, but not moonstone)
• Synthetic moonstone: Rarely on the market; chemically identical, but cheaper and flawless

At-home test: Hold the stone under direct light and tilt it slowly. A real moonstone shows a flowing, moving streak of light. Glass and imitations have no or a diffuse, immobile glow.

Buying Moonstone: Online or from a Specialist Dealer?

Both options have pros and cons:

• Online: Large selection, often lower prices. Risk: Quality difficult to assess from photos. Look for many photos from different angles, ideally videos.
• Specialist dealer / jeweler: Hold the stone yourself and assess adularescence live. Always the better choice for high-quality pieces.

Moonstone Jewelry at Corelune Jewellery

Moonstone is literally close to our hearts – it is the stone of our name. At Corelune Jewellery, you will find beautiful moonstone jewelry where the adularescence truly shines.

👉 Discover moonstone jewelry now – and wear the magic of the moon!