Moonstone
Hardness 6 specific gravity 2.56-59
Refractive index 1.52-54 birefringence 0.004-9
Wear: poor toughness, warm water cleaning
Moonstone, also known as Moonstone, is a gem of the feldspar family. It is composed of a very small alternating layer of orthoclase (potassium aluminosilicate) and albite (sodium aluminosilicate).
As a mineral, there is no "Moonstone" mineral type, so this name is specially used to describe gem grade feldspar with specific optical effect.
The "Moonstone" is usually translucent, which may show the "reflection effect" of blue to silver and gold tones. This is a special optical effect formed by light reflecting on the micro layers of two types of feldspar.
Moonstone is one of the birthstones of June.
Human understanding of the history of Moonstone
The use of "Moonstone" can be traced back to many ancient civilizations. For example, the ancient Romans believed that "Moonstone" was a gem condensed by the light of the moon. Ancient Greece also associated this gem with the God of the moon.
At one time, Art Nouveau was very popular. French jewelers, such as Ren é Lalique, made a lot of jewelry works using "Moonstone".
The formation and origin of Moonstone
Gem grade "Moonstone" is produced in pegmatite vein, placer and weathering layer, the most important producing area is Sri Lanka, and other producing areas include India, Myanmar, Madagascar, Brazil, Tanzania and the United States.
Because "Moonstone" has good cleavage in two directions, it is easy to appear cracks, and few large particles have no time to produce.
Value judgment of Moonstone
The reflected light of "Moonstone" is mainly blue and silver, but also red and golden yellow. No matter which color, the brightness and area of the reflected light determine the value of the gem.
Wearing and preservation of Moonstone
The hardness of "Moonstone" is only 6, its toughness is poor, and it has good cleavage. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid impact and wear.
"Moonstone" is afraid of acid and alkali. It's better to use warm water or neutral soap when cleaning. After cleaning, dry it on the towel.
Pictures
