The adularia stone was discovered by people several thousand years ago.
This is a translucent material with a layered structure and a bluish tint. The unusual cold light was as mysterious, magical, like a night luminary. Therefore, our ancestors called adularia moonstone. Centuries later, scientists became interested in the mineral and decided to figure out what adularia is. Thanks to them, we know about its properties, structural features and principle of formation. Scientists also gave the stone a scientific name - “orthoclase”. And the mineral received the name “adularia” in honor of the Alpine ridge Adula, where some of the first samples were found.
History of the origin of adularia
The adularian got its name from the place where it was first discovered in Europe - Mount Adul in Switzerland. It was called moonstone much earlier, back in ancient times, when the mineral was discovered in India.
The ancient Hindus believed that the stone absorbs real moonlight and therefore has such an unusual white color with a blue-blue tint.
Also, mention of moonstone is found in the works of Aristotle, this speaks of the ancient history of a valuable mineral.
Place of Birth
Adularia are found in rich quartz veins, as well as pegmatites and ore veins.
Deposits of this stone are located in the Swiss Alps, Sri Lanka, and stones are also found in Australia, Burma, Brazil, India, on the island of Madagascar, Tanzania, and the USA. Interesting samples were discovered in gold mines in the Urals and Siberia, where feldspar contains nanoparticles of gold and silver. The pearl tint is characteristic of the Baikal adulars. And in the Irkutsk region, the moonstone reaches 20 cm.
Meaning
Thanks to ancient written sources that have reached the present day, one can understand the significance of moonstone in the culture of different peoples.
Thus, the ancient Greeks, Romans and Babylonians associated the mineral with the mystery and beauty, inaccessibility and coldness of the moon. The stone was believed to help with clairvoyance.
In ancient times, the peoples of the East had a special relationship with moonstone - it was sung in poetry and personified with feminine beauty and innocence. The Slavs called the stone lunar or peacock stone for its iridescent color.
Buying Tips
Natural stone will delight the owner and help throughout life. How to avoid becoming a deceived buyer. Here are some tips from the professionals:
- Buy in specialized stores. Trade jewelry stores always have their own brand. They strive to preserve and enhance their reputation and check the rating among similar trading offers. In such stores, each product has a quality certificate and information about the place of production. When purchasing jewelry at specialized outlets, you have the opportunity to return and make a complaint. The product will be replaced or checked for originality.
- Verified seller. Sellers value their customers' attitude towards them. They help you choose jewelry made from gems and explain how to care for products made from precious stones. It is not in their interests to deceive; they hope that the buyer will return to the store for a new decoration.
The Moon Gem has a quality that is unique to it: adularescence. At a certain angle, rays appear, they divide the stone into four parts. The property gives the effect of a “cat’s eye”, internal glow and magical attractiveness.
physical characteristics
Among the physical and chemical properties of adularia there are:
- hardness on the Mohs scale – no more than 6.5 points; this indicates the fragility of the stone;
- density is approximately 2.5 grams per cubic centimeter;
- There is no transparency, but there is light transmission.
The formation of the rock occurs from silicate melts that occur in places of volcanic activity.
Magic of stone
Among some peoples, the magic stone moonstone is considered sacred and is valued more than gold. It is given the status of harmony, so it will bring happiness in the form of a gift.
The gem gives the ability to look into the future and awakens tender feelings. A brooch with a gem can relieve loneliness. It has the ability to attract love.
Creative people are recommended to meditate with a gem or wear a talisman:
- artists;
- writers;
- musicians.
The gem is able to awaken the subconscious and reveal talent. A ring with decoration helps to increase tolerance towards people and mercy, eliminates conflicts, and corrects feelings.
It gains special power during the full moon. The glow can free you from anger, relieve tension, awaken dreaminess, tenderness, and softness. Magicians endow the crystal with protective properties:
- Strengthen the ability for astral travel.
- Master the ability to visualize.
- Quick liberation from illusions and depression.
- Assist in business development and establishing relationships with business partners.
Varieties, colors
Selenite
Olikoglaz
Labradorite
The classic moonstone has a silvery blue color. But sometimes the shades can change, and therefore the following varieties of the mineral are distinguished:
- adularia – transparent or translucent stone of white and silver shades;
- selenite – moonstone of yellow shades;
- labradorite - a rare black mineral;
- Oligoclase - this moonstone contains blue and green crystals, which is why it acquires a rainbow color.
It is also worth considering that over time, as well as under the influence of external conditions, moonstone can change color.
Moonstone mineral: description and properties, formula
Moonstone photo
The same effect that moonstone produces with its flickering is also inherent in other minerals, for example, oligoclase-white-morite, orthoclase, albite, adularia and others.
But this mineral is still special. Its white, light gray or bluish color, reminiscent of the soft light of the moon, gives it an extraordinary attractiveness, which is noticeable in the photo.
Moonstone crystals are translucent and have a glassy, silky sheen, which is scientifically called schillerization, i.e., shimmering colors.
Moonstones consist of transparent prismatic or plate-like crystals with a slight shimmering bluish-white surface, although minerals with a pale yellow tint are also found.
The crystal belongs to a variety of aluminosilicates.
Moonstone formula: K[AlSi3O8].
Moonstone Characteristics:
- Color – white, blue, golden, silver, black, green;
- Transparency – transparent, semi-transparent;
- Mineral hardness – 6 – 6.5;
- The density of moonstone is 1.51 - 1.52.
The glassy, pearlescent luster shows the slight transparency of the mineral and its monoclinicity.
Acidic compounds and toxic substances do not affect it, it is durable and resistant to various mechanical influences, has no magnetic properties and does not have iridescence and pleochroism.
The pearlescent mineral has several names. You can be sure that you are dealing with it if you come across such names as adularia, selenite, pearlspar, jandarakand.
Magic properties
Since ancient times, adularia has been valued for its magical properties. The stone serves as a love talisman and can soften the pain of separation.
Lovers who wear moonstone understand each other perfectly and rarely quarrel. If there is a cooling of feelings, then the moonstone warns about this: it changes color, darkens, and becomes dull.
Adularia is able to calm and find inner harmony. The stone also protects its owner from negative energy and from wasting energy. For women, the stone gives sexuality and natural charm.
Mystical side
Adularia has very different properties. Ancient scriptures say that it was given as a gift to people by the goddess Moon. According to legend, the lunar mineral is nothing more than frozen moon rays. It is believed that these stones are capable of conveying a secret, mystical message, some kind of sign. All rituals using the mineral are recommended to be carried out on the new moon; at this time, adularia has the greatest energy activity.
Jewelry with adularia has been used since ancient times as love talismans. The magical properties of adularia were used in love magic to attract serious feelings into a person’s life. Anyone who is tired of living alone is advised to wear a talisman made of adularia.
The properties of the moonstone adularia help awaken tender, sincere feelings. The mineral symbolizes platonic love, not base passions. Previously, unmarried girls wore stone talismans in the hope of meeting the true unearthly love of their lives. If you wear a bracelet and ring with selenite on the ring finger of your left hand, you can improve your relationships with others. The magical properties of adularia help get rid of complexes and communication problems.
Wearing a ring on the right hand promotes peace and achieving complete harmony with oneself. It is recommended to give a person who likes jewelry with adularia, then the object of adoration will definitely pay attention to you. In Ancient Greece, selenite was worn by warriors. It was believed that the mineral helps to defeat all enemies and gives a person great strength. Mages used it to activate their abilities and communicate with the other world.
In India, selenite is considered a sacred mineral. Ancient legends say that whoever finds it will predict the future. The magical properties of adularia were revered among magicians. The priests not only respected his strength, but were even afraid of him. On the full moon, stone products were placed on special altars. It is believed that the mystical properties of the adularia moonstone reach their peak during the full moon.
Medicinal properties
The great value of adularia lies in its healing properties, which the stone is awarded with. It is not for nothing that moonstone has been actively used by healers and healers since ancient times.
It is believed that the stone can help with the following problems:
- depression, tension and fatigue;
- insomnia, nervousness;
- epileptic seizures, headaches;
- sharp emotional changes.
Moonstone also helps eliminate disorders of the digestive system, heart and vascular function. Significantly makes childbirth easier for women.
Synthetic material
Moonstone mined on the island of Sri Lanka is the most expensive. The original is almost colorless, but from the inside, when exposed to light, it becomes bluish-sparkling. There are millions of shades of adularia, they are difficult to replicate. For synthetic counterfeits, plastic and glass are used. They are tinted, trying to replicate the color of the lunar mineral. You can distinguish natural moonstone using several methods and knowledge about its properties:
- Reflection property. The product is placed on the floor at a right angle and the reflection is examined. The original reflects an angle of no more than 15ᵒ. The blue glow is lost. The fake gives a uniform shine when rotated in a circular motion.
- Thermal conductivity. Fake material tends to heat up quickly. Natural adularia does not heat up from the hands and retains its original temperature for a long time. Heating requires special equipment.
- Color brightness. You can recognize a mineral by the internal contents of the crystals. The natural mineral contains voids and air bubbles. This is not typical for artificial material; it is dense and solid, without flaws.
- Silky surface. The top layer of the processed stone feels like silk. It's pleasant and helps you calm down. It is this quality that is associated with its healing effect on the nervous system.
- Color change. It is recommended to distinguish a real gem using an experiment in which the product is placed in water. The stone becomes brighter, the colors are more saturated, and the shades stand out more clearly. Counterfeit products simply become cleaner when exposed to water.
Semi-precious crystals are counterfeited with such quality that it is difficult to distinguish differences from natural samples in appearance. You can buy jewelry for a jewelry collection and save money, but then you shouldn’t rely on the ability to heal and impart magic. Synthetic materials are successfully created in India, production is established and is in demand. But the manufacturer is not engaged in substituting naturalness, but offers the created moonstone openly.
Who is suitable according to their zodiac sign?
Particular importance is given to moonstone in astrology.
Thus, the stone has a beneficial effect on the following zodiac signs:
- Cancers - for them, adularia is an ideal stone that attracts good luck and helps in financial and love affairs;
- Adularia helps slaves restore mental balance, learn to manage themselves and their emotions;
- For Scorpios, the stone is suitable for unleashing creative abilities;
- It helps Taurus relieve stress, and women of this sign help fight women’s diseases.
Moonstone is contraindicated for Aries , Capricorns and Sagittarius . The mineral relaxes representatives of this zodiac sign.
It should also be noted that if a person was born on a full moon, then, regardless of the zodiac sign, the moonstone is suitable for him.
Compatibility with other minerals
The main principle of combining adularia with other gems is taking into account the elements of their affiliation:
- Water is an ideal compatibility (pearl, aquamarine, alexandrite...).
- Fire is incompatible, as it carries different energies and nullifies each other’s properties (diamond, pyrope, ruby, almandine...).
- Air - undesirable compatibility, will conflict, can have unpredictable effects (hyacinth, rock crystal, smoky quartz, chrysolite and chrysoprase, lapis lazuli, citrine, emerald...).
- Earth – neutral compatibility (jasper, jade, malachite, onyx and others).
Decorations
With its delicate, sophisticated appearance, moonstone jewelry never goes out of style. Most often, when cutting stones, a cabochon is used - a perfect oval, this allows you to get a beautiful classic piece of jewelry.
A successful combination of moonstone is with silver, since this metal does not overshadow the mineral and gives it the opportunity to shine. Adularia can be found in almost all jewelry: earrings, rings, necklaces and pendants.
average cost
The price of an adularia is influenced by its size: if it does not exceed 1 carat, the average cost of a natural moonstone can range from $1 to $30. In addition, the shade and transparency of the mineral matters.
Adularias of rare blue shades are highly valued: when light is reflected, the crystal appears “depth”. As it rotates, a unique three-dimensional effect is visible that minerals of other colors do not have.
Adularia of the highest quality have a colorless base. The best crystal combines glassy clarity with an electric blue tint. The main feature of adularia of the highest quality is its bright blue shine, visible from all sides. The price of such a moonstone can vary from $80 to $200 per carat with a weight not exceeding 20 carats.
Multicolor minerals that are mined in India are low cost. You can also buy adularia crumbs cheaply: original beads are often made from it.
In most cases, stones are cut into cabochons: this shape allows you to see the amazing bluish highlights inside the crystal and its layering. But for this you need large specimens of adularia, the price of which is quite high.
How much a natural moonstone costs often depends on its setting: designer framing with high-quality precious metal increases the price of the product. Adularias are usually set in silver, which is also associated with the Moon and beautifully highlights the highlights inside the cabochon. But sometimes gold is used for yellowish-colored minerals.
In jewelry, milky-white crystals can “neighbor” pearls: both minerals have delicate “lunar” shades.
High-quality large adularia are rare, so the price of jewelry made from natural moonstone is constantly growing.
Moonstone became popular among jewelers between 1890 and 1910, during the heyday of the Art Nouveau style, mainly thanks to two famous jewelers - Rene Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany. Adularia returned to fashion twice more: in the 60s and also in the 90s of the last century. Currently, this mineral is outside the jewelry mainstream and few well-known jewelry houses use it in their jewelry.
Look at the photo of jewelry with moonstone: they are very feminine and sophisticated:
If a woman or girl wears jewelry with adularia, she should take care of its harmonious combination with other elements of the image. The crystal is so distinctive that in combination with other jewelry it will look unnatural. An exception may be simple pearl items or silver items without inserts. It is worth focusing on the magical beauty and sophistication of moonstone. If it is a pendant, the garment should have an elegant contrasting shade that goes well with the color of the crystal.
Price and care
Adularia itself is an inexpensive stone. Its price varies on average up to $30 per carat. If we are talking about large stones over 3 carats, the price will be about $80.
But the reserves of moonstone in its deposits are depleting, so it is quite natural that its value will increase.
Adularia is a fragile stone and, moreover, susceptible to external influences. Therefore, in addition to the traditional wiping with soapy water, periodically you need to take the jewelry to a jewelry workshop for polishing.
Description
Adularia moonstone is a mineral with a translucent surface. In its appearance and properties it is very similar to chalcedony. Adularia is popular due to its unusual radiance, which is compared to the radiance of the lunar disk. This effect is achieved due to the special plate structure. Adularia moonstone is a rare mineral, potassium feldspar.
The stone received its name from the Adular mountain range of the same name in Switzerland. In this place the mineral was discovered for the first time. Adularia is a valuable stone, but very fragile and extremely sensitive to mechanical damage. It is in Adulary that the most expensive variety of selenite is mined.
Jewelers use stone to make all kinds of jewelry. Its use allows you to create beautiful things at a relatively low price. It began to be widely used in jewelry in the second half of the 19th century. The processing of adularia in silver looks impressive and expensive.
What stones does it go with?
Adularia goes well with all moon stones. These are minerals such as opal, pearl, selenite, rock crystal, aquamarine, beryl, and coral. All these stones have white, silver, blue or colorless shades.
Photo
Interesting Facts
There have been legends about the moonstone since ancient times; there are a lot of amazing and interesting facts:
- adular is a frequent participant in magical and witchcraft rituals - this is due to its “unearthly” origin;
- during the full moon the stone brightens, and, conversely, becomes dull as it decreases;
- The scientific name of the moonstone is not so romantic - potassium aluminum trisilicate.
What is the reason for the popularity of moonstone - its mystery, romance or beauty - is unknown. But the fact that this mineral has attracted the minds of mankind for many millennia is indisputable.
How to care for stone
Moonstone has good hardness, but it is also quite fragile. Therefore, the main rule for caring for it is to be careful when wearing and storing it - you cannot drop it, hit it, or store it with other jewelry. And:
- It is necessary to protect the gem from direct and prolonged exposure to sunlight or heat rays, temperature changes, and various chemicals.
- Cleaning should be done using a mild soap solution and plenty of cool running water.
- If a stone becomes tarnished, you should polish it with a velvet cloth, or better yet, contact a jeweler for professional polishing.
It is advisable to carry out energy cleansing weekly, for which the adularia is washed with cool water and charged with moonlight.
