Shimmer and Shine – adularescence and labradorescence

Adularescence and labradorescence are magical lighting effects that add a unique and ethereal charm to certain gemstones. Another term for these effects is “Schiller”, and at its core, adularescence and labradorescence are a scattering of light.

~Close up images of adularescence and labradorescence, photomicrographs by Isabelle Corvn

Adularescence and labradorescence are seen most often in feldspar minerals.

The feldspar group is a vast collection of minerals, one of the most common found in Earth’s crust, and include gemstones like moonstone, labradorite, andesine, amazonite, sunstone and many, many more. 

When feldspar minerals grow, the layers, the building blocks, alternate between different types of feldspar, creating microscopic gaps. When light enters those gaps, it scatters, creating a ‘glow’ or ‘misty’ effect visible to our naked eyes.

This sheen is adularescence.

The individual layers of feldspar are about the same ‘size’ as light waves.

This scattering of light is the same reason our sky appears blue. Sunlight enters Earth’s atmosphere and strikes air molecules, causing the light to scatter and allowing the blue wavelengths (which is shorter and faster) to reach our eyes first, while filtering out the red tones.

~ Ring by Michou featuring blue topaz, peridot and moonstone

The effect visible on moonstone’s surface is often describe as looking like moonlight through clouds - that is actually a very apt description!

In fact, “adularescence’ is an old name associate with moonstone, and thus the effect has become almost synonymous with that jewel.

Moonstone gemstones can have white, colorless, blue, peach and brown body colors, while the sheen will most often appear blue, but can appear colorless, yellow or multi-hued.  

Given this magical gemstone’s appearance, it’s no wonder that many legends surrounding the gem involve the moon.

~ Rainbow moonstone pendant by Amali

Many stories speak of how a moonstone’s appearance and powers would wax and wan with the phases of the moon; a full moon was the most powerful and would make the stones the most brilliant, while a new moon made moonstone useless and dull.

Moonstone was especially important in many Hindu myths. They believed that moonstones were the crystallized beams from the moon that fell to Earth and ‘froze’. They saw the stone as a good luck charm, as well as a wonderful gift for young couples either right before a wedding, or on the wedding day.

Many cultures speak on moonstone’s usefulness as an aid in traveling by night, especially if on a boat.

Moonstone is also said to be a wonderful sleep aid and to guard against insomnia.

As the name implies, labradorescence is seen in labradorite. While it is also caused by light slipping through gaps at the microscopic level, these layers are rough and irregular, and can only appear if certain chemical elements are present in the mineral.

~ Labradorite ring by Lika Behar

It creates a stunning swash of iridescent colors on the surface of labradorites.

Labradorites can be found in large slabs which makes it a popular gem for more abstract styles or carved pieces set into jewelry.

The name ‘labradorite’ comes from an early location where the mineral was mined, Labrador, Canada, however there are records that show this wasn’t the first sighting of the gemstone.

The most well-known myth of labradorite is that of the Inuit people. They believed that labradorite was the frozen rays of the Aurora Borealis, and it’s easy to see why. The story goes that an Inuit warrior found a cave filled with this glittering gemstone and he tried to break the stones to free the light trapped within to return it to the heavens.

The gemstone was extremely valuable as a magical talisman and divine guide.

To this day, labradorite is associated with magic and mystery and is said to strengthen intuition.

~ Earrings by Lika Behar, featuring different colors of labradorite 

Labradorites can show spectral colors, all at once or one at a time, and can widely range in body colors and transparencies.

The effects of labradorescence and adularescence truly capture an enchanted feel, often looking so otherworldly they could be artificial. But these gemstones, and the scattering of light that makes them popular, are all natural.

Something spectacular from the ordinary; the most abundant mineral on Earth boasts the more extraordinary phenomena.   

If you need a little magic in your life, consider adding some phenomenal feldspars to your collection.

~ Blog by Isabelle Corvin, staff gemologist and merchandising manager