21 ct gorgeous unheated rainbow moonstone

[nader]

Hey, I have an opportunity to get this moonstone The body is colourless but the adularescence is in my opinion eye-popping!It''s pretty big, too and theres just some minor inclusions within... I haven''t really seen many this big, and if they are they''re usually much more heavily included and the schiller isnt usually this prominent. What do you think it would be worth? Do you think it''s worth more than $500-600? I''m pretty clueless on the value of moonstones.

http://i21.ebayimg.com/01/i/05/96/85/87_1.JPG
http://i11.ebayimg.com/01/i/05/96/8e/49_1.JPG
http://i15.ebayimg.com/01/i/05/97/4d/ed_1.JPG

Any help is grossly appreciated

Nader

 

[valeria101]

If it really looks that good in person, you'd probably have a hard time finding another as nice, even for more than the upper price you mention. A more sophisticated shop addressing collectors or simply folk with some interest in gemology and unusual stones would probably dare ask more for such a stone (link to example).

If the guys have some return policy, there's little chance to go wrong. You can always see for yourself.


Moonstone with fine adularescence can be quite expensive. I don't know what would be a relevant price per carat - as far as I can tell, comparable pieces are far between so prices are made more for each piece not by carat. A larger fine stone with blue sheen can be a few thousand easily. I am not sure that qualifies - this is just to say that not all moonstone is dirt cheap.

Technically, I think that stone is a type of labradorite - but calling it 'rainbow moonstone' is common practice. It is never called anything but commercially.

And... the 'unheated' word in the title is somewhat misplaced: moonstone is never heated - as far as I know. Anyway, often that is used indiscriminately on Ebay listings to say 'untreated' or just because.


My 2c