How to recognize a real moonstone ?

Moonstone, like many other precious and semi-precious stones, is often imitated, copied, modified or even completely counterfeited. The particularity of this mineral lies in its color and its silvery reflections of adularescence caused when light penetrates the gem. When buying moonstone or moonstone jewelry, be careful and make sure you are in possession of a real moonstone. It is not always easy to tell the difference between a real moonstone and a fake one, especially if you don't have any special knowledge in gemology. We reveal our tips and advice on how to recognize a real moonstone and with which other gems it can be confused.

Tips and tricks for buying a real moonstone

If you want to buy a moonstone, we advise you to find out more about the seller. Make sure that the dealer is known for selling quality moonstone jewelry that you can enjoy. If the price of the moonstone seems very low, beware, it may be a fake. Moonstone comes from rocks located mainly in Asia (India and Sri Lanka), but also in America, Africa and Europe. It is extracted in the form of crystals before having the form in which we know it. Depending on the country where you buy your moonstone jewelry, consider checking that it is possible to find it locally or to export it.

By looking closely at your moonstone, with the naked eye or with a magnifying glass, you will see that a real moonstone is made of impurities and inclusions, the colors are less uniform and vivid. Fake stones, on the other hand, are often perfect, shiny and brightly colored. If in doubt, you can always call in a professional to have it examined in a gemological laboratory.

Where to buy a real moonstone?

Be aware that moonstones sold at too low a price are likely to be imitations. If you have any doubts, do not hesitate to have your stone examined by a professional. At Moonstone Store, we have a deep love for nature. That is why we use only genuine moonstones in the making of our jewelry.

We draw our inspiration from the legends and tales behind each stone, but when it comes to giving you a piece of jewelry that meets your expectations, we choose the truth. Your moonstone jewelry allows you to emphasize your femininity because it takes its power from nature. It matches your character to bring out your best qualities. Find now the jewel which resembles you and express your deepest feelings thanks to the Moonstone!

Real vs fake : how to tell if moonstone is real ?

A fake gemstone or semi-precious stone is designed by man in a laboratory. It does not have the minerals and healing properties of a real moonstone that would be used in crystal healing. These fake stones can be made of different materials and take many forms:

Synthetic moonstone

Synthetic stone is very common nowadays. And it is also the most difficult to differentiate from a real moonstone, so perfect is the imitation. Indeed, manufacturers do not only copy the appearance. They also reproduce the composition of the gem of the moonstone. We thus obtain synthetic stones almost identical to authentic moonstones. However, they remain fake and cannot provide you with the benefits promised by the real natural stones.

Note that counterfeit stones of this kind are commonly used in the manufacture of costume jewelry. If you only need it to look good, then there is no need to worry about wearing a synthetic moonstone ring. But if your goal is to enjoy the benefits of moonstones, a synthetic moonstone ring will not do you any good. So, always prefer to invest in moonstone jewelry set with genuine stones.

In short, a synthetic stone seems a priori flawless. But if you look closely, you will see that there are often bubbles in it. Also, its growth curves are often visible.

Resin moonstone

Also be careful with resin moonstone. This material is similar to plastic. It is very malleable and counterfeiters do not hesitate to exploit it to create a perfect imitation of a gemstone. Most of the time, they even add other materials to give the fake stones a more convincing appearance. Unfortunately for these unscrupulous individuals, it is quite easy to detect a resin stone. Just like plastic, all it takes is a little time under the flame for the resin to melt.

Glass moonstone

The glass stone is particularly fragile and scratches easily. If you observe it carefully, you will be able to see defects on the surface of the stone including bubbles with sometimes silica residues inside. A glass moonstone is easy to recognize even for a novice. This imitation stone made of glass is not only fragile, but it is also easily scratched. If you see ridges, conchoidal breaks or bubbles with silica residue inside a so-called natural stone, it is probably a glass stone. Industrial glass is widely used in the manufacture of fake obsidian and fake crystal. So don't be fooled.

Plastic moonstone

The plastic moonstone remains relatively warm in all circumstances, unlike a real stone, which remains cold. In addition, a plastic stone has a less smooth appearance and if you place it between your teeth, you won't hear any small clicks. Like the resin stone, you can also put it through the fire test, which it is unlikely to resist.

Plastic is also a popular material for counterfeiters to make counterfeit moonstones. Like any substitute stone, a plastic stone imitates a real gem quite well. But like glass, it is also easy to recognize. How to do it? Simply hold it in your hand. If it is a real stone, it will feel smoother to the touch. If it feels a little rough, it's probably a fake plastic moonstone. Another simple tip is to put the stone under a flame. If it melts or smells like burnt plastic, walk away because it's probably plastic.

Imitations of moonstone

Moonstone is often imitated, never equaled. We have grouped together the different stones with which moonstone can be confused. Some traders with fraudulent practices sell similar stones passing them off as moonstones. Some stones do indeed show similarities to moonstone :

• Jadeite : Jadeite is almost colorless and very translucent. It is cut in cabochon to enhance the luminescence which can be similar to the adularescence of moonstone.
• Quartz assembly : The visual effect formed by a thin, colored layer set in colorless quartz is similar to that of moonstone.
• Glass and Labradorite Assembly : Glass and labradorite together give a bluish iridescence reminiscent of moonstone. Moonstone and labradorite are often confused.
• Synthetic spinel : Synthetic spinel can also give an opalescence similar to the adularescence of moonstone.
• Sillimanite : Sillimanite shows bluish reflections similar to those of moonstone.
• Opaline : Opaline shows blue reflections similar to those of moonstone.

Different gems can therefore strongly resemble moonstone. Moonstone is sought after and highly valued for its beneficial energies on the body and mind. It is associated with the moon and the sacred chakra. You can get it in the form of stone or adorning jewelry such as silver bracelets for example. Be careful when you buy a stone or a jewel in moonstone in order not to be tricked!

Conclusion

In short, the fake stones are swarming today on the market of natural stones. To avoid being trapped, you must know how to observe well. This will allow you to recognize the real stones from the fake ones. If you have the opportunity, don't hesitate to do some tests. And if you are about to buy a piece of moonstone jewelry, it would be ideal to have a professional gemologist advise you and do a more complete test. Finally, it would also be prudent to buy your stone jewelry only from stores that sell authentic stone jewelry. If we have an address to give you, it is in our official store.