A 9 carat loose moonstone — 9.89 ratti — sold unset at Rs. 5,850, about Rs. 650 per carat.

Sold loose, and why that suits this weight

Nine carat is the size at which commissioning your own setting starts to pay. It is substantial enough that a ready-made mount rarely fits the dome properly, and light enough that you are not committed to a pendant. Buying the stone first lets your jeweller cut the seat to this cabochon's actual curve and girdle, choose the metal, and decide between a bezel and claws with the stone in hand rather than from a photograph.

Ask for a bezel

Moonstone is 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and has good cleavage, meaning it can part along an internal plane under a knock that would merely scratch a harder gem. The girdle is where that risk concentrates. A bezel wraps and supports it; claws leave it exposed and add four points where the stone can be chipped during setting. Any competent jeweller will know this, but it is worth saying when you hand the stone over.

The sheen, and how to judge it

The blue glow is adularescence, produced by light scattering between feldspar layers thinner than a wavelength of light. It is not a pigment, so it moves as the stone moves and vanishes at the wrong angle. Judge any moonstone by rocking it slowly under one light source rather than in flat daylight. Flat light is the condition least likely to show the effect, which is also why photographs so rarely do a moonstone justice.

Rate and care

At Rs. 650 per carat this sits mid-range for our collection, where rates run from roughly Rs. 481 to Rs. 776 per carat. Clean with warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth only — no ultrasonic cleaner, no steam, no bleach or ammonia — and store it separately so harder stones cannot scratch the polish.

No documented origin is held for this particular stone, so we do not claim one. Treatment has not been tested either, which we record rather than describing the stone as untreated. Dimensions and clarity are not recorded yet; ask us and we will measure it before you decide.

This particular stone

This listing is one natural moonstone with a weight of 9 Carat. Its price is Rs. 5,850 — roughly Rs. 650 for each carat. Treatment: treatment not tested. Quote reference GS-000410 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.

From six carats up a stone becomes the centre of attention. It wants a broader shank or a secure claw setting and suits an occasion ring, a signet or a centre pendant. Clean natural material of this size turns up far less often, and the per-carat rate reflects that.

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.