Home >> Hobbies >> Gemology

Care & Cleaning of Moonstone

Moonstone is a gemstone formed of potassium feldspar. These semiprecious gems typically are cut into cabochon shapes rather than faceted shapes. Because moonstone rates only a six on the Mohs gemstone hardness scale, it is necessary to take care when cleaning it.

Physical Properties
- Moonstones are most notable for their "schiller" effect -- a sheen that occurs as light shines on the surface of the stone -- caused by the presence of two different feldspars, K-feldspar and Na-feldspar.
Uses of Moonstone
- Moonstone is popular in jewelry, but its use is somewhat limited because of its relative softness. For this reason, moonstone jewelry consists primarily of pendants or necklaces, brooches and, sometimes, rings. In Germany and Scandinavia, moonstone is used as the birthstone for June, rather than pearls, which are popular in other countries.
Cleaning Moonstones
- Cleaning a moonstone need not be a complicated process, only a careful one. Moonstone is subject to cleavage, a form of breakage in which a stone splits along the tiny stress cracks characteristic of the stone. To avoid this, do not clean moonstone jewelry with an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner or with a steam cleaner. Clean the moonstone with a soft cleaning cloth of the type available at most jewelry stores. Avoid hard knocks to a moonstone, and it should provide a life of beauty.

Gemology