Just moonlighting.
Rainbow Moonstone, Meaning, Properties, and Facts
LabradoriteMohs 6 to 6.5Triclinic
Rainbow moonstone is a trade name for white, see-through labradorite, a feldspar that flashes blue and rainbow colors when light hits it at the right angle. Below: what it is, its properties, where it is found, how to spot a fake, care, value and the meaning people give it.
What is rainbow moonstone
Rainbow moonstone is labradorite, a plagioclase feldspar partway between the sodium and calcium ends of its series, in a pale, transparent to translucent form. True moonstone is a different feldspar: orthoclase layered with albite, which gives a soft, billowy glow called adularescence. The trade sells both under the moonstone name, while dark labradorite with the same flash keeps its own name.
Rainbow moonstone properties
Rainbow moonstone properties are labradorite properties: hard enough for most jewelry, glassy, and split by two cleavage directions that let it chip under a hard knock. Mineral details are on Wikipedia's labradorite page, and GIA's moonstone guide covers true moonstone for comparison.
| Mineral | Labradorite (plagioclase feldspar), white variety |
|---|---|
| Chemistry | (Ca,Na)(Al,Si)4O8 |
| Color cause | Light interference in thin internal layers, not pigment |
| Hardness | 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale |
| Crystal system | Triclinic |
| Luster | Glassy, pearly on cleavage |
| Specific gravity | 2.68 to 2.72 |
| Main localities | India, Madagascar |
| Water safe | Yes; no ultrasonic or steam |
| Sun safe | Yes: the flash is optical |
Where rainbow moonstone is found
Rainbow moonstone is found in igneous rocks rich in feldspar, and much of the material on the market comes from India. Madagascar has produced fine pieces too, described in a 2024 Gems and Gemology note from GIA. Gray labradorite with the same flash comes from Labrador in Canada, which gave the mineral its name, and from Finland, where the dark, colorful kind is sold as spectrolite.
Rainbow moonstone colors and flash
Rainbow moonstone colors start with a white or clear body and a flash that is usually blue, with the best pieces adding purple, green, yellow and orange. That flash, called labradorescence, comes from light bouncing between microscopic layers of slightly different feldspar that formed as the crystal cooled, the same physics that colors a soap bubble. Dark mineral inclusions are common in natural stones.
How to tell if rainbow moonstone is real
To tell if rainbow moonstone is real, tilt it. Natural stone flashes color only at certain angles, and the flash moves across the surface as you turn it. Opalite, a man-made glass often sold as moonstone, glows blue against dark backgrounds and orange against light ones from every angle, with no inclusions and sometimes bubbles. Natural pieces usually show cleavage cracks, dark inclusions or a slightly uneven body.
Rainbow moonstone care: water and sun
Rainbow moonstone care is easy with water and sun: it does not dissolve, and the flash cannot fade because it comes from structure, not pigment. Clean it with warm, soapy water and a soft brush, but skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners, which can open its cleavage. Store it apart from quartz and other harder stones that scratch it.
Rainbow moonstone price and value
Rainbow moonstone price and value depend on how clear the body is and how strong and colorful the flash is. Milky stones with a weak blue flash are inexpensive, while clean, transparent pieces with a bright, multicolor flash across the whole face cost more.
Rainbow moonstone meaning and benefits
Rainbow moonstone meaning in crystal lore is intuition and new beginnings, and the benefits people claim for it include emotional balance and calm. That is belief, not chemistry. The lore is borrowed from true moonstone, which ancient Romans believed formed from moonlight, and moonstone is a June birthstone. Rainbow moonstone shares the name and the glow, but mineralogically it is labradorite.
Rainbow moonstone for sale
Rainbow moonstone for sale at geoslut arrives in drops. Each piece is one of one, photographed in daylight and labeled with its mineral and locality, and the list hears first.
Rainbow Moonstone FAQ
Is rainbow moonstone real moonstone?
Rainbow moonstone is a real, natural stone, but it is labradorite rather than true moonstone, which is orthoclase feldspar.
Is rainbow moonstone water safe?
Rainbow moonstone is water safe for normal cleaning with warm, soapy water. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners.
How hard is rainbow moonstone?
Rainbow moonstone is fairly hard at 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, but its cleavage lets it chip if knocked.
Can rainbow moonstone go in the sun?
Rainbow moonstone can go in the sun: its flash is optical and does not fade.
Sources
- Labradorite, Wikipedia
- Moonstone (gemstone), Wikipedia
- Moonstone, Gemological Institute of America