moonstone & rainbow moonstone

autumn star

What's the difference between moonstone and rainbow moonstone? They look very similar. Is moonstone pure white and the rainbow version with more colours? I have a regular white moonstone but I want to get a necklace, and I have found one at a good price but it's rainbow moonstone - alothough it looks very similar to plain moonstone, just kind of cloudier in appearance.

What should a good quality moonstone look like? Should it be white/clear?

What is the difference in the qualities of a moonstone and the rainbow variety?

:)
 

minrice

I have both a moonstone and then a rainbow moonstone.
The plain piece that I have looks just like a creamy piece of quartz or granite. I had to post on here and ask what it was actually.
My understanding is the rainbow moonstone is more clear quartz and has that "fire" in it, that blue flash. I think that maybe the quality of a rainbow moonstone is in its flash, how bright and how blue it is. Like a grade? I think, I don't really know though.

To me the plain moonstone is actually more soothing, but they are both lovely. I have a greater affinity for labradorite, which is also in the moonstone family. It's like rainbow moonstone's dark but beautiful twin!
 

autumn star

I have both a moonstone and then a rainbow moonstone.
The plain piece that I have looks just like a creamy piece of quartz or granite. I had to post on here and ask what it was actually.
My understanding is the rainbow moonstone is more clear quartz and has that "fire" in it, that blue flash. I think that maybe the quality of a rainbow moonstone is in its flash, how bright and how blue it is. Like a grade? I think, I don't really know though.

To me the plain moonstone is actually more soothing, but they are both lovely. I have a greater affinity for labradorite, which is also in the moonstone family. It's like rainbow moonstone's dark but beautiful twin!

Labradorite is one of my favorite stones too, and so is moonstone so it's interesting to know that they are from the same family. I like the description of it as being moonstones beautiful and dark twin! It seems like alot of what is advertised as moonstone is really rainbow moonstone. The piece I have has parts of milky white and clear bits with the blue flash and I thought it was plain moonstone but it sounds more like rainbow moonstone.
 

minrice

hmmmm, sounds pretty! But yeah I really don't know any more, I'm sure someone will come along soon to educate us!
 

Bhavana

I have some moonstone jewelry and loose pieces, they are all on the opaque side, with my oldest piece, a round stone surrounded by garnets, being on the greyish side. One of my favorite stones as well, and I didn't know it was related to labradorite!
 

minrice

Just to clarify, they are both related in the sense they are feldspars. From what I have found so far, the rainbow moonstone is just a more translucent, white labradorite while true moonstone is opaque and a different species of feldspar.

Here's an article: http://www.bwsmigel.info/GEOL.115.ESSAYS/Gemology.Labradorite.html

I didn't know that Spectrolite was labradorite! Now I want some.
 

autumn star

Just to clarify, they are both related in the sense they are feldspars. From what I have found so far, the rainbow moonstone is just a more translucent, white labradorite while true moonstone is opaque and a different species of feldspar.

Here's an article: http://www.bwsmigel.info/GEOL.115.ESSAYS/Gemology.Labradorite.html

I didn't know that Spectrolite was labradorite! Now I want some.

That's very interesting. Rainbow moonstine is a translucent labradorite. It seems like most moonstone jewellry and other stones sold as moonstone are in fact rainbow moonstone then. I need some opaque 'true' moonstone. Am I right in thinking moonstone is sometimes a peachy colour too?

Spectrolite is really lovely - I don't have any myself though. I think it comes in brigther colours than Labradorite.
 

Hemera

I think Labradorite and Spectrolite are pretty much the same thing? We have a few Spectrolite mines here in Finland and the way I heard it was that it´s called Spectrolite just because it is not mined in Labrador but here :p Although as far as I know we only have the darker varieties here and not the white ones.

This is the biggest mining area in Finland. http://www.korukivi.fi/english/infoen.htm

Some of their products here. I must say I´d like one of each..drool.. so beautiful!
http://www.korukivi.fi/english/korut_en.htm
 

minrice

Beautiful! I just bought a piece of Spectrolite excited to get it. This thread was inspiring ;) as usual...:p
 

autumn star

Beautiful! I just bought a piece of Spectrolite excited to get it. This thread was inspiring ;) as usual...:p

I'm excited for you :)

I just found out the difference between Spectrolite & Labradorite - they are basically the same except Spectrolite comes in a wider range of colours, and has a more intense 'fire'. Labradorite seems to come in softer shades, and Spectrolite comes from Finland.


heres the article: http://glimmerdream.com/gemjourneys/labradorite/source

I just got a Labradorite Pendant the other day - it's very pretty and is quite different to my other Labradorite stones - it's colour range is grey, purple and blue where as my other stones are more green and blue.

Hemera - is Spectrolite quite common and easy to find in Finland?