In moonstone, an optical illusion called adularescence causes the gem’s surface to glow milky, blueish. To determine whether the moonstone is real or fake, place it under bright artificial light and observe it from above. Your moonstone is real if it has a blue-white glow.
Moonstones consist of two minerals. Orthoclase and Albite are the feldspar minerals that form moonstone when they are stacked in layers.
Many sellers may try to sell you a fake moonstone crystal made of glass. It is better to learn how to tell if Moonstone is real or fake to ensure you get the authentic crystal.
How Can Moonstones be Faked?
Many sellers try to sell you opalite in the place of Moonstone.
Opalite does not consist of crystalline structures like quartz or feldspar.
They are not made by the natural process like opals.
Some sellers may try to sell you opalite by the name sea opal or moonstone.
Some sellers may also carve them into different pieces resembling talismans and beads.
It is better to learn how to tell if Moonstone is real or fake before going to the market to buy one.
You can do it by learning about the physical and chemical features of the moonstone.
– Does Getting Sterling Silver Wet Affect the Authenticity of Moonstone?
Getting sterling silver wet won’t affect the authenticity of moonstone. However, prolonged exposure to water can cause tarnishing on the sterling silver. It’s advisable to remove any moonstone jewelry before coming into contact with water and to store it in a dry place to preserve its beauty and authenticity.
How to tell if Moonstone is Real or Fake?
It is hard to find the difference between authentic and counterfeit moonstones if you are a beginner.
Physical features are most useful in finding the moonstone’s authenticity.
Adularescence and color pattern are one of the features to find an authentic moonstone.
You can also ask for the place of origin to confirm the crystal identity.
Chatoyancy and temperature difference tests are excellent when you want to find the authenticity of the moonstone.
Some people think that moonstone size can also provide some hints about the identity of the stone.
There are some tests to check the physical features of the moonstone.
These tests will help you confirm the Moonstone authenticity.
1. To Tell if Moonstone Is Real or Fake, Look for the Moon-Like Shade
When the moonstone crystals are in raw form, they are known as the adularia.
You can cut the adularia to make a convex piece.
This piece is also known as the cabochon.
Moonstone shows a peculiar color at the center of the crystal.
When you put light on the Moonstone, it will give a blue color shade.
This shade will give the stone a moon-like appearance.
It is the reason people call it the Moonstone.
People call these crystals adularia because Mount Adular was the most crucial source for the moonstone in the past.
Most experts do not use this name for the crystal these days.
The adularescence is the most frequently used name for the blue light concentrating effect of the moonstone.
You can see this effect prominently in the thin stones.
Large stones show less bluish shade as they become white due to more light reflection.
- You can differentiate between Opalite and Moonstone by checking the adularescence in the deeper layers. Opalite will show this effect on the surface only. You will not see this effect in the deeper layers of the Opalite.
- When you move the Moonstone by placing it between your eyes and sunlight, it will show a concentration of light at the center of the crystal. It is not only at the surface.
- Opalite will not show the blue color reflection if you place it between the light source and your eye. It only shows the blue sheen when you place it on the black cloth. People take photographs of the Opalite at specific angles to send to the buyers. They want to scam people by selling the Opalite at the price of the Moonstone.
- Moonstone does not change the sheen color when you place it above the dark background.
2. To Tell if Moonstone Is Real or Fake, Check for the Blue Sheen
It is better to look for the color and the sheen to select a perfect moonstone for yourself.
Some may sell you transparent plastic material as the counterfeit Moonstone.
The highest quality Moonstones have high transparency.
You can check the opacity of the plastic materials as it is different than the Moonstones.
Blue sheen is also a color observation factor.
When you move the Moonstone in light, the blue sheen will move in the deeper parts of the Moonstone.
It is a sign of authentic Moonstone crystals.
Some sellers may try to sell the semi-blue stone with the blue sheen as Moonstone.
It is an attempt to scam you and get more money.
3. To Tell if Moonstone Is Real or Fake, Find the Origin
You can get a hint about the authenticity of the Moonstone crystals by asking about their origin.
Most of the world’s Moonstones came from Myanmar.
It is a place located in Burma.
If the seller tells you that he got the moonstone from India, you will know it is a fake one.
Some experts say that you cannot trust the people from Burma also as most of the Moonstones are smuggled from that location to other countries.
There is no sure way to know if someone replaced the authentic Moonstone during the transportation.
There are some newly discovered sources in the United States, Tanzania, and Mexico.
These areas do not produce adequate Moonstone supply.
It is better that you do some physical tests of the Moonstone to ensure you get the authentic crystal.
4. To Tell if Moonstone Is Real or Fake, Look for Chatoyancy
Moonstone has biaxial crystal properties.
When you put light on the moonstone, the light will go in opposite directions.
If you make a dome-like shape on the top of the Moonstone, the light will reflect to come at the center of the Moonstone.
You will see a streak of light at the center of the crystal.
This light streak effect is known as chatoyancy.
Some people call them Cat eye’s moonstone with a dome-like shape on the top.
These stones are available in the ten-carat to the twenty-carat range.
Some stones have a peculiar crystal structure that allows the light to go in perpendicular directions.
It will make a star-like light effect in the stone’s crystal structure.
These types of Moonstones are known as the Star Moonstones.
You will not get a brown or multi-color sheen in the moonstone.
You should not accept these stones as people are importing them from India.
The stones with the multi-color sheen are known as the rainbow moonstone or Bytownite.
You can select them when looking for a stone with a multi-color sheen.
It is not suitable when you want to use the Moonstone for healing benefits.
5. To Tell if Moonstone Is Real or Fake, Check the Size of the Stone
You can get the low-quality Moonstones in larger sizes and abundantly in the market.
You can identify the low-quality Moonstones by their color.
These moonstones have a white or silver sheen.
These stones come from India. You can get them in larger sizes also.
Some are available in the perfect shapes.
The case is different when you have high-quality Moonstones.
These stones are available at a high price and small size.
High-quality Moonstones have a blue sheen.
These are available in a range of 15 carats to 20 carats.
6. To Tell if Moonstone Is Real or Fake, Check if the Stone Is Cold
Moonstones do not absorb heat fast.
It will take a long time to bring the Moonstone to the body’s temperature by holding it.
When you put the Moonstone on your hand, it will feel cold.
Opalite and other counterfeit crystals do not show this feature.
The counterfeit crystals will become warm faster than the authentic Moonstone.
You can hold the Moonstone near to your cheek and feel the temperature.
The Moonstone should feel cold and relaxing.
Even placing it between palms will not increase its temperature fast.
To Summarize: How to Tell if Moonstone Is Real or Fake
There are many ways to avoid buying counterfeit Moonstones.
You can remember some points before going to market to buy Moonstone.
- The blue sheen is an indication of the high-quality Moonstone.
- The blue sheen should come from the deeper layers of the Moonstone.
- Counterfeit Moonstones have a blue sheen only on the surface layer.
- Most large Moonstones with silver or white sheen have low quality.
- You can find low-quality Moonstones in the market at lower prices.
- Moonstones do not become hot fast as they reflect the heat.
- You can test the Moonstone authenticity by placing it on your palm and feeling the temperature.