If you have some doubts about a traditional rule that an engagement ring should cost three months’ salary, it’s article is exactly for you.
If you have some doubts about a traditional rule that an engagement ring should cost three months’ salary, it’s article is exactly for you. We will suggest a beautiful and unexpected alternative to a usual halo diamond ring.
By the way, two-thirds of younger Americans think an engagement ring should cost less than $2,500, according to a survey from TD Ameritrade from 2019. They mean that their wedding savings may be rather spent for the honeymoon, etc. than on a traditional engagement ring.
You still can make a statement with your engagement ring or wedding band and be within budget. Not to mention that celebrities and princesses used to opt for this alternative without any hesitation. Just have a look at the marvelous moon-like surface of the most ethereal gemstone.
The Gem that is Out of this World
If you need to see the light of a thousand moons just look at this gemstone. “Jandarakand” or “shine of the moon” is called in India. The old Indian legend says gods got the pieces of the stone as a precious gift from the Moon.
However, the moonstone is formed by the Earth. Its silver-blue color and mysterious lunar glow are built by the light that reflects off its inside layers and “floats” around the stone. This optical phenomenon is called the adularescence and also known as the Schiller effect (or just shiller).
The more colorless the body of the moonstone and the bluer the adularescence, the higher is its value. But this effect is not revealed until the stones are cut and polished. That’s why a moonstone is often cut en cabochon – with a rounded convex surface – that makes its mysterious allure more expressive and more valuable. On rare occasions, some transparent stones can be also faceted.
More about a moonstone
- Moonstone is a part of the mineral family of feldspars. This group makes up more than half of the Earth’s crust.
- Moonstone can be not only bluish-white, but also colorless or have many shades from pink, green, yellow to dark colors.
- Also, some moonstones can have internal inclusions like tiny tension cracks which are known as centipedes. They influence the price of the stone: the clearer the stone without centipedes, the more valuable it is.
- Moonstone is softer than diamond or ruby, but not as delicate as opal or pearl. It has to be fixed securely into the jewelry to avoid its damage.
- Nowadays, moonstone is found in many countries of the world including Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Brazil, Australia, and India so it is quite common on the market.
Piece of Art in past & modern times
Art Nouveau moonstone ring framed by floral motif and tiny white seed pearls.
The moonstone became especially popular in the early 1900s, during the so-called Art Nouveau period. This style of art which was expressed also in jewelry was inspired by flowing natural forms resembling leaves and blossoms of plants. For jewelry craftsmen of that period moonstone with its smooth shapes and mysterious shimmer was the essence of gemstone’s natural beauty.
Great artisans of the Art Nouveau, such as René Lalique and Louis Comfort Tiffany, featured moon-like gems in their handcrafted items. These Art Nouveau rings mesmerize with their depth and elaborated work. They are very catchy and exquisite at the same time.
Another impressive Art Nouveau masterpiece: a ring with giant transcendental moonstone surrounding by elaborated seashells
Art Deco Tiffany & Co moonstone diamond ring with a grandiose translucent bluish moonstone centerpiece framed in platinum, circa the 1920s.
The main characteristic of these Art Nouveau rings is a repeating floral motif. Such design you can easily embody in your unique moonstone engagement ring if you desire something appealing, yet elegant.
Besides, moonstone is a quite pliable material for carving. It can be carved into amazing shapes. One of the most common shapes was the “man in the moon” face.
Gold moonstone ring from the 1920s with a carving work as a centerpiece – a “moon face” that has been incorporated into jewelry since ancient times.
Such rings are really unique piece-of-arts of Art Nouveau preserved in our modern time. Since that time, the moonstone has always been in fashion. “Flower child” movement followers and modern New Age designers constantly turn to moonstone’s luminous beauty for inspiration.
For example, Louis Comfort Tiffany’s designer Meta Overbeck had her favorite combination of platinum, moonstone, and sapphire, highlighted by small diamonds. She used it in many astonishing necklaces.
The cold palette of this set of moonstone and sapphire by Louis Comfort Tiffany is mesmerizing
She was sure that pale moonstones are perfectly combined with different cold-colored gemstones in a shimmering icy palette. You can use this idea for the design of your personal moonstone diamond engagement ring. It will be a time-tested and refined choice.
However, the bold contrasting combination of gemstones in an engagement or moonstone wedding ring is also possible. For this case, you can choose rose gold or any other bright metal and a solitaire moonstone of bluish coloration. Such iridescent moonstone rings look very eye-catchy and remembering.
The Bachelorette star Hannah Brown wears a gold moonstone ring. This giant centerpiece moonstone surrounded by sparkling gemstones looks radiant and bold.
On-trend in 2021
The German model and actress Barbara Meier wears diamond and moonstone jewelry at Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California.
Moonstone is growing in popularity for 2021, be sure of that while checking actual jewelry trends. It’s expected that it will be one of the top jewelry trends for the next Spring/Summer season as well. Nowadays, it’s trendy to wear big bold statement pieces of women’s fine jewelry including rings. An outstanding moonstone in your engagement ring will be totally in fashion. You will find moonstone jewelry in the collections of many high-end jewelry houses and on the runway.
Moonstone rings constantly flash on the catwalks as accent details of the entire outfit or as statement jewelry carefully matching with runway color combinations. As for the popular color palette of gemstones, it’s usually similar to Pantone’s colors of the year. Moonstone can occur in different colors so it is only up to you to choose your favorite shade.
Royal Choice
Norway’s Princess Märtha Louise, the daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja wore her Moonstone and Diamond demi-parure for a series of portraits during her engagement in 2001. A demi-parure is a set of some matching jewelry pieces. Here it included earrings, a necklace, and a magnificent sky-blue moonstone engagement ring. This set is one of Norway’s princess most worn jewels, it has been worn to a variety of events.
Why do female members of the royal families choose moonstone jewelry?
- The white-grey or shimmery pale coloration of these gemstones looks very classy and elegant.
- Moonstone jewelry is the perfect choice for small delicate accents in the outfit when due to the royal dress code bold garish hues have to be avoided.
- These milky gemstones can be perfectly combined with other impressive stones like diamonds or sapphires highlighting their royal splendor.
Meghan Markle wears one of her favorite rings with creamy moonstone during NYC Fashion Week in 2014.
Affordable & Impressive
This probably one of the largest moonstones in the world of approx.100 grams weight (or 300-450 carat) came from the first Japanese expedition to Mt Kilimanjaro in 1918.
A moonstone engagement ring is considered to be a quite affordable alternative to a diamond or sapphire ring. But if you believe that moonstone is an inexpensive common stone, it will be a bit far from the truth.
Moonstones from Mogok town of Myanmar or Burma, the Southeast Asian country can be extremely expensive.
Expensive moonstones should be without any inclusions and displaying an effect of a shimmering golden body with a silver/gold or blue glow. Especially large moonstones are very rare and this makes them valuable.
So, if you need to find a valuable moonstone for your engagement ring, take into account the following factors:
- background color (or bodycolor of the gem) should be nearly colorless and free of any yellowish, brownish tints or inclusions;
- body of the gem should have an intense bluish sheen (i.e. the blue adularescence);
- orientation of the sheen is also important: sheen should be centered on the top of a stone, and it should be easily seen from most viewing angles.
- if the cut is a cabochon, its dimensions have to be uniform, and the profile shouldn’t be too flat. Otherwise, it will not display sheen well and will be less valuable.
In rare instances, moonstones may also be multicolored showing blue, with green and/or orange as in this Art Nouveau rainbow moonstone ring. Such stones are also known as labradorites and are quite valuable in their own right.
However, common affordable milky moonstones can be very impressive in jewelry pieces, especially surrounded by other gems. Timeless masterpieces of famous designers and great jewelry artisans convince us of this.
So, if you are searching for an affordable, yet stunning engagement ring, a moonstone of different shimmering shades or astonishing transparency will be a perfect choice.
- Moonstone depending on its shade will look impeccably in every metal, from silver to gold to rose gold.
- Nowadays, it can be found in a range of cuts from traditional cabochon to a fashionable bold hexagon.
- Moonstone looks enchanting in multi-stone rings or in a cluster setting, as well.
- Moonstone in the ring has to be well protected for general everyday wear. Be sure that your moonstone’s setting is secure. One of the possible options is a rub-over setting in which the metal surrounds the gemstone completely.
Anna Paquin, the actress from the hit TV series True Blood, demonstrates her vintage moonstone engagement ring where the gold with a black finish sets off sparkling gemstones.
A moonstone wedding ring will be an unbeatable option for anyone looking for exquisite and breathtaking jewelry for his special day. It can be customized according to your preference, just let us know your size and feel free to ask any questions you have.
Julia Roberts wearing a statement ring with moonstone and diamond pave