By Marie Chalmers FGA DGA
Let’s talk about Moonstone!
What is Moonstone?
Moonstone is part of the Feldspar family, which is one of the largest Gemstone families. It is called Orthoclase, which is its official name, and its sister is Amazonite. But within the Feldspar family, you also have other materials like Labradorite, but they are not as closely connected as Moonstone and Amazonite.
Different Colours of Moonstone
Moonstone comes in a variety of colours. From peach, to white, chocolate to Black Moonstone and even Rainbow Moonstone. Rainbow Moonstone is famous for having the most beautiful Schiller and that Schiller has a very specific name. It’s called Adularescence.
The Optical Phenomenon
The phenomenon of Adularescence is exhibited in Moonstone. The term Adularescence came from some very specific material that was mined in Switzerland in Mount Adular.
It is created by alternating layers of Orthoclase and Albite. The layers are so fine, and they are actually similar in size to a wavelength of light.
They are very fine layers, and when our eye looks down, it scatters the light and gives that amazing Schiller effect that goes across the surface of the Moonstone.
It’s a very popular Gemstone because it has such an amazing colour and display and works fantastic in Jewellery. It looks especially nice when set into silver, as the colour and rainbow effect really stand out!
Rainbow Moonstone
Rainbow Moonstone is really highly prized. It has a white body colour and has amazing Adularescence, the layers give you a complete rainbow of colour across the piece, and that is one of the most popular Moonstones that we sell here at Chalmers Gems!
Does Moonstone come from the Moon?
No, it doesn’t! It is actually mostly found in Sri Lanka, but it is also commonly found in India and sometimes Brazil.
If you’d like to learn more about Gemmology, Gemstones or Minerals, then do give us a follow, and drop in the comments anything you’d like to know about.
Chalmers Gems was created by two best friends, Marie Chalmers and Sheena Gill, and is founded on the unwavering mission to source the best ethical Gemstones and Minerals in the world and supply them at the best possible price to our customers.
Having spent over two decades in the jewellery industry, Marie Chalmers FGA DGA, heads up our Buying Team. As a qualified Gemmologist and Fine Goldsmith, Marie has worked across continents such as India, Africa and China. Marie has travelled the world building strong relationships and a fantastic supply chain, enabling her to bring you the highest quality products at the best possible price. As well as having spent her career controlling multi-million £’s worth of stock, she is well versed in the global gemstone and mineral supply chain and can access some very unique and rare products.
As one of the UK’s most influential people in the jewellery industry (Professional Jeweller), Marie is committed to building the most exciting and honourable business. This encompasses product development and education, building on the training courses she managed at the Assay Office Birmingham – the world’s largest Assay Office.
Come with us to discover the world’s best Gemstones. At Chalmers Gems, we offer a unique and exciting way to buy and sell Gems from around the world. We travel straight to the source, visiting mines, cutting factories and manufacturers handpicking exotic, high-quality Gemstones and showcase them during our Live Shows, on our website and in our pop-up shop. All the Gemstones we find are exclusive to our international trips and are available for a limited time.
We regularly tour India, learning about the Gemstones with our Marie. This is your unique opportunity to be part of and understand your Gemstone’s ethical journey from the mine to your door.
We host amazing, inclusive Live Events across our social media channels on a regular basis throughout the week, so ensure to set notifications on Facebook & Instagram so as not to miss these.
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