Saying 'moonstone' is not only worth a thousand words, but an infinite, because this very stone seems to have captured the beauty and mystery of the moon beams inside it and then reflect them continually in shades of blue, pink, brown, green and red. Besides the amazing color these gems have, they are also endowed with an optical characteristic which causes them to display light different and also change their shade depending on the angle from which one looks at them. What else could be more stunning?

     Moonstone is a very personal stone. It is a reflection of the person who owns it. It does not add or detract, only shows how it is. This is why the moonstone is said to perceive that which "is". Though often considered to be a woman's stone, it can be beneficial to men in opening the emotional self. There are two moonstones. Adularia moonstone is an almost transparent pale gray or silvery white or blue shimmer. It is mainly found in Sri Lanka, Burma, India and Madagascar. Albite moonstone is in the feldspar group. It is semitransparent with a pale, shimmering reflection. It may be a little dull. It comes mainly from Canada.Named for its resemblance to the Moon, Moonstone is actually a variety of Orthoclase Feldspar that contains a schiller (shimmering) effect or adularescent sheen.  Adularescence is described as "an effect seen on certain minerals (the most famous, Opal and Moonstone) which causes it to display a billowy, rounded, ghost-like reflection with a bluish-whitish color emanating from the surface when the mineral is cut into a cabochon.  It is caused by structural anomalies or build up of water in the mineral."  Adularescent is derived from the mineral name, Adularia, of which Moonstone is a variety of. Other names for Moonstone are Ceylonese Opal, Water Opal, Girasol, Fish-Eye and Wolf's-Eye.  The highest and most sought after quality Moonstones come from Sri Lanka.

     Resembling the Moon or "moonshine", the ancient Romans believed the stone was actually formed from moonlight.  In the Orient, people believed Moonstones were actual rays of moonlight that had solidified, and that the shimmering light held within the stone was a good spirit that lived there.  People in ancient India also thought along these lines, and the stone is still considered sacred in India today. Amulets of Moonstone were frequently hung in fruit trees to ensure fruitful and abundant crops.  In Asia and Europe the stone was associated with love and fidelity and was often worn when trying to attract a faithful lover.  It was believed that if held in the mouth, Moonstone would help one make proper decisions.  This versatile stone was also used in ancient times to cure insomnia. Due to its association with water, Moonstone is said to be protective of those at sea.  It is also protective of those that travel at night and especially during New Moon phases, and was once called the "Traveler's Stone".  It was also thought to protect against insanity, epilepsy, and any adverse wanderings of the mind.  The ancient Greeks called Moonstone "Aphroselene" after the goddesses Aphrodite (love) and Selene (moon).The stone of Diana, goddess of the hunt and the moon, this particular stone was thought by ancient people to have stolen the moonlight and then encapsulate it within its very stone core, so that to protect humankind from negative energy and a wide range of problems and disorders.