A 4.75 carat grey moonstone cabochon from Africa — 5.22 ratti — at Rs. 3,380, about Rs. 712 per carat. Its body colour is recorded as grey, which is worth saying plainly because moonstone is so often described as white when it is not.

Grey moonstone, honestly described

A great deal of material sold as white moonstone is really a pale translucent grey, and sellers simply do not say so. We record this stone as grey because that is what it is. Grey is not a lesser grade — a neutral body can show adularescence with more contrast than a milky one, since there is less competing whiteness in the way. It also sits more easily with silver and with cooler colour palettes than a creamy white stone does.

A small stone, and what that means

At under five carat this is a modest ring stone, and the trade-off is real: adularescence needs surface area to travel across, so the sheen on a small cabochon is a brief flicker rather than the slow wash you get on a fifteen or thirty carat dome. What you gain is wearability. A stone this size sits low, clears door handles and sleeves, and can be worn daily without much thought — which matters for a mineral that is only 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale.

The rate

At Rs. 712 per carat this sits in the upper half of our collection, where the range runs from roughly Rs. 481 to Rs. 776 per carat. Small stones commonly carry a higher per-carat rate than large ones in softer gem species, because the cutting loss and the handling cost do not fall in proportion to the weight.

Care

Warm water, mild soap, soft cloth. No ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no bleach or ammonia. Moonstone has good cleavage, so protect the girdle with a bezel if you are setting it, and store it away from harder stones.

Recorded as an African stone. Treatment has not been tested, which we record rather than describing the stone as untreated. Dimensions and clarity are not recorded yet; ask and we will measure it for you.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural moonstone with a weight of 4.75 Carat. Its price is Rs. 3,380 — roughly Rs. 712 for each carat. Origin: Africa. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000422 when you message us about it. The photographs show this exact stone, so what arrives at your door is the piece you chose on screen.

Between two and six carats is the range most people choose for a gents' ring or a noticeable pendant. Here colour drives the price more than size does, which is why two stones of near-identical weight can be priced very differently.

On the Mohs scale moonstone rates 6 to 6.5. That is middle-of-the-road hardness: comfortable in pendants and earrings, and in rings worn with some care. Store it apart from harder stones so it does not pick up scratches, and wipe it with a damp cloth rather than scrubbing.

Whoever you buy moonstone from, make sure of three things: the stone is natural rather than lab-grown, glass or glass-filled; any treatment is stated in writing; and the weight quoted is the weight of the finished stone. We check every moonstone for those three points before it is listed, a certificate is available on request, and because you pay on delivery you can look at the stone — or have it tested — before any money changes hands.

We sell natural stones only and inspect each one before it is listed. Treatment for this stone: Treatment not tested. Certificate available on request. As general background (not a statement about this stone): Moonstone is usually untreated. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will tell you what we know about this exact stone; independent lab testing is available on request.

A certificate of authenticity is available on request for this stone, and independent laboratory testing can be arranged. Because you pay on delivery, you can also take the stone to a lab of your choice within the 7-day return window. Read more on our authenticity page.