Florida's "Moonstone" !

Moonstone is characterised by an enchanting play of light. Indeed it owes its name to that mysterious shimmer which always looks different when the stone is moved and is known in the trade as 'adularescence'. This enchanting gemstone belongs to the large mineral group of the feldspars, of which almost two thirds of all the rocks on Earth consist. Moonstone is actually the feldspar variety known as 'adularia', a potassium aluminosilicate of gemstone quality. In earlier times, people believed they could recognise in it the crescent and waning phases of the moon. Moonstones from Sri Lanka, the classical country of origin of the moonstone, shimmer in pale blue on an almost transparent background. Specimens from India feature a nebulous interplay of light and shadow on a background of beige-brown, green, orange or brown. These discreet colours, in connection with the fine shimmer, make the moonstone an ideal gemstone for jewellery with a sensual, feminine aura.

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United States astronauts Neil Armstrong and "Buzz" Aldrin landed on the moon July 20, 1969, preparing for man's first personal inspection of the lunar surface. Since the Apollo 11 and all other manned spaceflights had blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County, it came as no coincidence that the State Legislature sought to memorialize America's unprecedented international, scientific and technological triumph. Therefore, ten months later, May 20, 1970, Florida lawmakers passed and sent to the Governor a bill adopting the 'Moonstone' as the official State Gemstone of Florida.

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Ironically, Moonstone is not found naturally in Florida... nor was it found on the moon. It is a symbolic named official gemstone.

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