Pearl vs. Moonstone, what is the difference? Moonstone and Pearl are both June birthstones, both of which have extraordinary value. The two June birthstones look very similar, but in fact, they are quite different.
Next, we will analyze their differences in terms of their formation causes, characteristics, functions, origins, and values.
Reasons for the formation of Pearl vs. Moonstone
What is pearls?
Pearl is an organic gemstone that grows inside the tissues of marine or freshwater mollusks (oysters or mussels). Natural pearls are formed when a mollusk secretes a substance called a nacreous layer around an irritant such as a piece of sand or a parasite that has invaded its shell. Cultured pearls are the product of human intervention.
Technicians implant a piece of outer coat membrane tissue (mantle tissue) either alone in the host mollusk (common in freshwater cultured pearls) or with mother-of-pearls (all salt water).
The mollusk covers the stimulus with a nacreous layer, just like a natural pearl. Cultured pearls are raised on pearl farms, i.e., saltwater or freshwater farms, where the mollusks are cleaned from predators and eventually harvested.
Thousands of years of pearl harvesting have destroyed the natural pearl beds, so cultured pearls make up the vast majority of pearls sold today. These artificially cultivated pearl birthstones come in a wide range of sizes, colors, and shapes.
What is Moonstone?
Moonstone is essentially a gemstone mineral, moonstone is a feldspar mineral.
Higher temperature water on the shallow earth’s surface can dissolve the minerals in the sedimentary rock, and under the action of high temperature, part of the sedimentary rock will turn into magma, when the magma cools down, if the surrounding conditions of temperature, pressure, and space are just right, the magma will precipitate out of the crystals and form gemstones under the action of time.
After the magma has formed a gemstone, the necessary elements in the surrounding rock that can form such a gemstone will gradually diminish, and the concentration of the crystallized elements will continue to change. Under the action of the physical environment, these crystals will further form new gemstones, such as moonstones.
The halo of the moonstone is directional, the direction of extension of the halo color should be in line with the shape of the faceted gemstone, it should be gathered in the center of the curved gemstone, if the halo is skewed in the gemstone, it will affect the value. Moonstone is also the lucky stone for Scorpio.
Moonstone is usually colorless to white, but can also be light yellow, orange to pale brown, blue-grey or green, transparent or translucent, and has a special moonlight effect, hence its name.
This is due to the two kinds of feldspar layers of cryptocrystalline parallel interlocking, the slightly different refractive index of visible light scattering, when there is the existence of a solution surface, can be accompanied by interference or diffraction, feldspar on the light of the combined effect of the feldspar surface to produce a kind of blue floating light. If the layer is thicker and produces a greyish-white color, the effect of the floater is less effective.
In Rome, they believed that the moonstone was formed by moonlight and that the moon goddess Diana could be seen in the moonstone. The Greeks also believed it was a symbol of Venus, the goddess of beauty and love.
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that gazing at the moonstone would cause one to fall into a deep sleep and foretell the future in dreams. Even today, in some Arabian countries, moonstones are often sewn into clothing as a symbol of abundance.
In modern India, moonstones are still considered sacred symbols and are used as dream stones as they are believed to give the wearer beautiful visions at night.
In East Indian lore, moonstones represent the symbol of the third eye and can purify spiritual understanding.
Moonstones were popular in Europe and America in the late 19th and 20th centuries, especially during the Art Deco period, and were often used by master goldsmiths in the creation of jewelry.
Moonstone is also known as the “stone of lovers” because it is believed to evoke emotions and passions, and in some places, it is called the “stone of travelers” because it is believed to protect during the night.
In some Asian countries, it is also used as a symbol of “no tears”.
Pearls vs. Moonstone Colors
Pearls can be worked into many colors, white, yellow, black, blue, pink, and so on. Moonstone, on the other hand, is usually colorless to white, translucent, or transparent. The average quality has many ice cracks and the halo is not obvious.
Pearl vs. Moonstone Origin
Moonstones are mainly from Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Brazil, the USA, Australia, and Madagascar.
Some of the best quality pearls come from Australia, the Philippines, and Indonesia moonstones are said to be of the best quality, but there are also moonstones from Sri Lanka.
Pearl vs. Moonstone Symbolism
Moonstone is often sewn into clothing in some Arabian countries as a symbol of abundance. In modern India, moonstones are still considered sacred symbols and they are used as dream stones—a sign of spiritual purification.
And pearls have always symbolized wealth, beauty, happiness, and nobility. The powerful in feudal society used pearls to represent status, power, money, and nobility, while commoners used them to symbolize happiness, peace, and good fortune.
Pearl vs. Moonstone Value
Pearls are much more valuable than moonstones, which cost about $10, while pearls cost thousands of dollars for the better ones.
Pearl vs. Moonstone in Medicine
Pearls are used in medicine as a remedy to calm the mind, clear heat and wind, and nourish the liver, while moonstone has no therapeutic effect.
Mother-of-pearl vs. Moonstone, What is the difference between Moonstone and Mother-of-Pearl?
Pearl is composed of calcium carbonate. Moonstone is composed of sodium potassium aluminum silicate. On the Mohs scale the hardness of pearl is between 2.5 to 4.5 whereas moonstone has a hardness of 6.0. Pearl is opaque while moonstone is transparent to translucent.
Pearl vs. Moonstone, is moonstone better than pearl?
While moonstone has a 6.0 hardness rating compared to pearls’ 3.0 on the Mohs scale, which makes it a more practical substitute, moonstone has gained popularity and is now frequently used as an alternative to pearls for astrological and ornamental purposes.
Pearl vs. Moonstone astrology
Moonstones and Pearls, while both associated with lunar energy in astrology, possess unique qualities that set them apart.
Moonstones focus on intuition, psychic abilities, and embracing the divine feminine, while Pearls offer calming, nurturing energies that promote emotional healing and wisdom.
Pearl vs. Moonstone, which one is better?
Pearl is a precious gemstone that is more expensive than moonstone. So if someone has a low budget for pearls he or she can buy moonstone.
The moonstone is not as powerful and benevolent (generous) as pearl stone, but still, it carries most of the cosmic rays emitted by the planet’s Moon which pearl stone can hold.
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