CAT’S-EYE MOONSTONE

Moonstone is the best-known gemstone-quality potassium feldspar. Owed to the magical, bluish-white shimmer that resembles the moonlight, it is a gemstone of legend in many cultures. In India, moonstone is regarded as a sacred stone and is widely believed to bring good fortune; in ancient Rome, it was speculated that the gem was formed from drops of moonlight and was traditionally associated with romance, dreams and love.

The most highly favoured moonstones display a colourless, semi-transparent to nearly transparent appearance without visible inclusions, and with a vivid blue adularescence, known in the trade as blue sheen. The combination of adularescence and chatoyancy in a single stone is exceptionally rare. Chatoyancy is an optical phenomenon distinguished by a unique reflection of light that closely resembles the slit-eye of a cat. Moreover, while not very common, some moonstones show chatoyancy.

Cat's eye moonstone shares the same legendary power and energy as other varieties of moonstone. It requires more exquisite cutting skills as to exhibit the chatoyancy and the optical trait of adularescence simultaneously. Cabochons can maximise the desirable effects of chatoyancy whilst the orientation of cut is crucial in order to maximise the effects of schiller and adularescence, thus most cat’s-eye moonstones are cut with high domes.

Cat's eye moonstone typically occurs with translucent clarity when held to the light. Its attractive vitreous to pearly lustre is tempting to all. To be offered in Tiancheng International’s coming sale includes two pieces precious phenomenal jewellery presented on the right page, embracing a cat’s-eye moonstone ring with a straight band throughout the dome, together with a centred six-rayed purple star sapphire. The glaring chatoyancy and asterism make the dazzling glitter everlasting.