Verified Moonstone dealers & buying guide

Moonstone is the best known of the phenomenal feldspars, defined by adularescence, the soft billow of light that moves across the stone as it turns. The effect comes from light scattering between microscopic layers of two feldspar species, and its quality decides value more than any other factor.

Sources and grades

Sri Lanka sets the standard with its blue sheen material, mined around Meetiyagoda in the south west. The finest stones combine a colourless, near transparent body with a strong electric blue schiller. India supplies the greater volume, including peach, grey and green body colours and the cat eye and rainbow varieties. Tanzania and Madagascar round out supply. Fine Ceylon blue moonstone above ten carats has become genuinely scarce and prices have moved to match.

Treatments and disclosure

Moonstone is not routinely treated, though surface coatings and composite imitations appear at the low end of the market. The more common issue is substitution, with opalescent glass and treated quartz sold under the name in tourist settings. A dealer who states species, source and treatment in writing removes most of the risk.

Care and setting

At six on the Mohs scale with easy cleavage, moonstone asks for protective settings and gentle wear. Cabochon cutting dominates because the phenomenon depends on correct orientation; a well cut dome centres the sheen and a poorly cut one loses it entirely.

How GemsVerified fits in

GemsVerified verifies dealers for legitimacy, certification practice and disclosure. It does not certify individual stones. The moonstone houses listed here have documented their sourcing and declaration practice, which is the sensible starting point for a phenomenon gem where quality is judged by eye.