All You Need to Know Moonstone Engagement Rings: The Gem From Above

November 20, 2023

The moonstone has been appreciated from time immemorial. Many centuries before the advent of Western Civilization, this gem has thrived as the ancient jewelry of the Orient. Many ancient cultures such as the Romans and the Greeks once believed the stone was a gift from the lunar deities as moonbeams in rock format.

As part of the Feldspar family, Moonstone like its sister stones, Garnet, Opal, Amazonite, Jasper, and more, showcases a phenomenon known as Adularescence, a magical play on light that emanates from the surface of the stone. Light on a moonstone typically billows in much the same way clouds billow across the sky. When the light angles are changed, the colors of the stone also change accordingly. Moonstone can be found in different hues of Pearly white, pink, blue, and even rainbow today. Moonstones are moderately hard as they score about 6.0 on the Mohs Scale, which is not quite as high as Diamonds 10.

For many centuries, this gemstone has been believed to have healing properties, helping with things such as insomnia, menstrual cramps and even attuning a woman with her lover. Some people believed that setting the stone under a full moon charged it.

Popular Settings & Styles For Moonstone Engagement Rings

There are many different settings and styles that are perfect for moonstone engagement rings. One such setting is the Bezel Setting; which allows the stone to be firmly secured on the ring. Prongs are another great way to secure the gem on a moonstone engagement ring. In fact, these kinds of moonstone rings always look uniquely attractive because of the prongs. When It comes to what metal works best with this stone, there is no particular one. However, rose gold and yellow gold offer a delectable and attractive appearance. For a truly exceptional, head-turning jewelry piece, throw diamond halos or a diamond band in the mix.

Pros and Cons of a Moonstone Engagement Ring

In the last few years, moonstone engagement rings have grown quite popular as more and more people have grown more interested in the unique and gorgeous appearance of the stone. Interest in the stone really took off in the early 2000s and has continued ever since. Most of the world’s supply of moonstone come from India, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar,

Moonstone makes a great engagement ring option for the conventional diamond style. However, it could present its own challenges being a softer stone to diamond. So let’s look at the pros and cons of this gemstone for an engagement ring.

Pros

Moonstone offers elegance and classiness similar to diamonds while maintaining its uniqueness and unconventional appearance.
Moonstone is not as expensive as diamond and even bigger stones cost less than diamond stones of smaller size.
It is perfect for all skin tones due to its milky appearance.
Is there a better way to start a conversation than with a moonstone ring that instantly commands attention and piques interest?
For the eco-conscious, a moonstone engagement ring is perfect as it is typically ethically sourced by most jewelers.

Cons

Because it is soft and scratches easily, wearers have to be continually conscious of this fact to avoid damaging the stone.
When a moonstone engagement ring is not worn, it must be carefully stored in a jewelry box away from other pieces of jewelry or stone that can scratch it.
There are only a handful of setting options suitable for a moonstone engagement ring and not a lot of jewelers offer high-quality moonstone rings because of this.
Cleavages or fault lines can be found in the stone. If it hits hard enough, it can easily crack or worse, shatter.

There are several factors to consider when buying a moonstone engagement ring, however, settling with one all comes down to budget, styles, individual preferences, and features of the stone as against other stones appeal most to you.

Tips for Buying Moonstone Engagement Rings

The first consideration to make when buying a moonstone engagement ring, or any engagement ring for that matter is the style preference of the wearer. A lot of people like the traditional diamond ring style and find that most appropriate. However, if the bohemian is more their style, then a moonstone engagement ring could be the perfect choice. And since they could wear this for the rest of their lives, it is crucial to be armed with important tips that would help choose the perfect ring for your partner. Here are some of Moonstone’s characteristics to keep in mind to help you make the right choice.

Color

Moonstones come in several colors, which affords a wide range of color options to choose from. Whether you choose blue yellow, peach or pink, or any other color, there is no right or wrong. But the most popular moonstone is the colorless variety, which has a blue adularescence. The greater the adularescence when viewed from different light angles, the more value the stone has.

Clarity

The best moonstone is one that is colorless and transparent/translucent. The beauty of the magical movement in this stone is visible in stones like this but gets lost the more opaque the stone becomes. Look for inclusions or tiny cracks which are the biggest flaw of the stone. These flaws are called centipedes by jewelers and while they can help to differentiate between a real and a fake moonstone, too large centipedes can compromise the stone’s integrity.

Cut

There are two primary ways moonstones are cut. A smooth cut that gives a dome shape or a cut that produces a stone with many facets. The adularescence of moonstone is most highlighted with s smooth dome cut or cabochon. The cut with many facets helps to hide inclusions and improve the texture and depth of the stone.

Carat

Moonstones can be found in different sizes as they are quite common gems and most of these stones featured on jewelry are not up to 5 carats.

How to Care for a Moonstone Engagement Ring?

Because moonstone is so sensitive, you’d do best to take it off you before you start cleaning, working out, or moving heavy objects that can hit it. The best place to keep a moonstone engagement ring is in a jewelry box made of soft velvety material or to place it in a felt bag or in its original case. Thankfully, even if you do get a scratch on your moonstone, you can take it to a reliable jeweler who can more often than not bring back the stone’s smoothness and brilliance.

To clean the stone at home, get warm water and pour in a mild detergent or dish soap, then soak a soft cloth in the water and softly clean your ring, then rinse it and pat it dry.

Conclusion

By now, you know Moonstone is one of the most interesting and unique engagement ring gemstones there is. Moonstone engagement ring offers many great positive reasons to choose them for your significant other. From its sheen to its celestial elegance and meaning, moonstone is a combination of sheer elegance, importance, and sustainability. While they may not be as hard and tough as diamonds, their unusual luster makes them the perfect choice for the bride who doesn’t like to conform to the conventional. However, If moonstone’s durability is a cause for worry for you, do not forget that there are other great stones such as emerald, sapphire, and ruby, which make great alternatives for non-traditional engagement rings.