June's Birthstones: Moonstone and Pearl

Magical Moonstone:

Princess Style Watermelon Tourmaline with Moonstone.

Large Moonstone Drop with Fancy scroll work, Blue Topaz and Moonstone stations.

Multi-shapes in Moonstone V-Neck style Princess with Earrings.

Moonstone Ring with scrolled edged silver work

Moonstones are feldspar gemstones with varying compositions. Typically, they’re orthoclase feldspars with alternating layers of orthoclase and albite. The color we see is caused from diffraction of light as it hits thin, alternating layers of orthoclase and albite within the gem. 
 A favorite variety that we carry at touchstone is "Rainbow Moonstone" which is a magical variety that does things with light that produces a cloud like, blue to white light. It is a favorite gem for jewelry with a hardness of six. At touchstone we have some exciting offerings in moonstone that I wish to share with you.
Top Left: Susan's pick of the month: A princess style V-neck. Featuring watermelon tourmaline cabochons in a play with moonstone, just adding that bit of color interest is pure  elegance. Fits the neckline like a dream as it is all pieced together with independently linked settings. * Susan Heike Wilhelm is touchstone's part owner with her husband Joseph and jewelry designer.

Top Right: An exquisite large drop style necklace is accompanied with faceted blue topaz alternating with moonstones at the stations. The blue topaz is just the right touch of blue to draw your attention to the blue light in the drop.  

Bottom Left: A multi-stone princess style necklace/earring set. This necklace showcases the moonstone in various shapes that took up to a year to  source and produce this masterpiece. Earrings feature three gems; round, oval and teardrop.

Bottom Right: Moonstone cocktail ring made with detailed scroll and Bali beaded accents surrounding the gemstone. Large enough to be a pointer ring if you are going for that fashion look. A showstopper featuring a large teardrop shaped moonstone.
 
Care: Moonstones have a hardness of 6. with a little caution you will enjoy your moonstone jewelry for a long time. so be aware not to knock it against hard surfaces, or hanging it on a door knob that might knock it when jarring a door. Clean with soapy water and a soft brush if needed.  At touchstone we have an assortment of ideas for ring boxes and gemstone trays in rose quartz and fossil to admire your jewelry piece when not wearing them.

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Pearls: Mabe, Osmena and Freshwater Pearls

Large Osmena Pearl Pendant With Fancy Scroll work.

Osmena Pearl Necklace with White Topaz

This necklace is an example of the exciting effect you get when osmena pearls are combined with other gemstones like druzy, quartz crystal and blue topaz.

Freshwater Pearl Pendant

Osmena Pearl Ring with open shank.

Pearls have captivated mankind through history and previously were found in many parts of the world.  Historically they were hunted from the Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and the China Seas. Chinese fishermen from the twelfth century would tie ropes to their wastes to safely dive for pearls. Presently they are mostly found in the Australian Indian Sea.

They have been used to make jewelry, to adorn clothing, tiaras, and royal crowns. Pearls are metaphor for all things desirable, fine, and valuable.

They are a glistening hard object that are are formed from the inner folds of a shell of a mollusk.  Pearls are composed of calcium carbonate and conchiolin. 

• There are many types of pearls and they come in eight basic shapes: round, semi-round, button, drop, pear, oval, baroque, circled and double bouldered. Perfectly round pearls are the rarest and most valuable shape.* Wikipedia
• They come in many different colors pink, blue, champagne, green, and even purple. Most recently black has become popular.
• There are two types of pearls, freshwater water and saltwater. touchstone jewelry is mostly created using freshwater pearls as well as the pearls mentioned to follow below.

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​touchstone gallery has many varieties of pearls sourced from different species chosen for their color and luster.  Some of the pieces pictured in our blog today are pieces made from Osmena pearls that are from inner chamber of the nautilus mollusk (actually the inner spiral of the shell).


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​Another pearl that we offer is from the Haliotis iris species of abalone. Pearls of abalone, or paua, are mabe pearls, or blister pearls, unique to New Zealand waters and are commonly referred to as 'blue pearls'. They are admired for their incredible luster and naturally bright vibrant colors that are often compared to opal.

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Mabe Pearl Bracelet in Sterling Silver

​ *Mabe pearl or also called a blister Pearl. A blister pearl, a half-sphere, formed flush against the shell of the pearl oyster.

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Care: After every wear, wipe your pearls with a soft cloth. This will help prevent any buildup of oils or other substances that may have come in contact with your jewelry throughout the day. Store Flat.
Pearl Maintenance Tips: Pearls are commonly passed down to become a treasured family heirloom . Make sure your pearls last long enough to achieve heirloom status by following these maintenance tips:
1. Last on, first off. Pearls should be the final touch to your outfit. Avoid applying makeup, hairspray, lotion or perfume once your pearls are on.
2. Store them flat. While it's perfectly acceptable for most necklaces to be hung on a cute jewelry rack, your pearl strands should not be. Store pearl necklaces flat to prevent them from stretching.
3. Dedicate a space just for your pearls. Soft pearls are prone to scratches, so store them separately in fabric-lined compartments.
4. Wear your pearls often. Pearls do best in a moist environment, so wearing them frequently keeps them from drying out. 


I hope that you have found our blog today helpful. Please visit our stores located in Sedona, Taos and Santa Fe where our natural art experts will be happy to further answer your inquiries about the jewelry discussed in our blog.