Crystal care, cleansing and jewellery routines. If you are new, begin with the guide, then grab the free printable checklist.
Angelite is a soft, pale blue stone (a form of anhydrite) that must never be soaked in water. Here's what it really is, its colours, how to tell it from celestite and larimar, and how to care for it.
Prehnite is a soft translucent green stone, the first ever named after a person. Here's its colours and 'grape stone' look, how to tell it from jade, and how to care for it.
Quick answer
Sunstone is a feldspar gemstone known for its warm colour and a glittery shimmer called aventurescence (or "schiller"), caused by tiny reflective flecks of copper or hematite inside the stone. It comes in orange, gold, peach, red and, in Oregon sunstone, even green. It is moderately hard (6-6.5 on the Mohs scale) with some cleavage, so it needs reasonable care. The main thing to watch for is "goldstone", a man-made copper-flecked glass often confused with, or sold as, real sunstone.
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Sunstone is one of the most cheerful stones you can own: warm, golden and lit from within by a glittery shimmer that seems to catch the light as you turn it. That sparkle has a real, physical cause, and it is also at the heart of the most common mix-up in the trade, with a man-made glass called goldstone. This guide explains what sunstone really is, what creates the shimmer, its colours and types including prized Oregon sunstone, how it differs from moonstone and goldstone, and how to care for it.
Sunstone belongs to the feldspar family, the same broad group as moonstone and labradorite. What sets it apart is its warm body colour, from champagne and gold to orange and red, combined with a metallic glitter. It was named simply for that sunny, sparkling look. Most sunstone is a plagioclase feldspar, and the finest natural copper-bearing material, known as Oregon sunstone, is the official gemstone of the US state of Oregon.
Like other feldspars, sunstone is moderately hard at 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, and it has cleavage, meaning it can split or chip along certain directions if knocked hard. That makes it durable enough for jewellery but worth handling with a little care.
The shimmer in sunstone is called aventurescence, and it is caused by countless tiny, plate-like inclusions inside the stone. As light hits these flat little mirrors it bounces back, creating a glittering, metallic sheen that shifts as you move the piece. In common sunstone the flecks are usually hematite or goethite, giving a reddish or golden glitter. In Oregon sunstone they are microscopic plates of copper, which can produce a particularly bright schiller, and copper can also colour the stone itself red or green. It is the same effect that gives aventurine quartz its name, but in sunstone the host is feldspar, not quartz.
There are two broad kinds of sunstone:
Across both, the colours run from pale champagne and warm gold through peach, orange and red, with green appearing in copper-rich Oregon material. Because the schiller and colour vary from piece to piece, every sunstone is a little different. See the range in our sunstone collection.
Three names get tangled together, so it helps to keep them straight. Moonstone is sunstone's cousin, another feldspar, but it shows a soft, billowy blue or white glow (adularescence) rather than a metallic glitter; you can browse it in our moonstone collection. Sunstone shows that sparkling, metallic schiller. Goldstone, despite the name, is not a stone at all: it is man-made glass with copper flecks, covered in the next section. In short, moonstone glows, sunstone glitters, and goldstone is glass.
The biggest thing to watch for is goldstone. It is a manufactured glass, made by melting copper into molten glass so it sets as glittering flecks. It is attractive and inexpensive, and there is nothing wrong with owning it, but it is not sunstone, and it should never be sold or priced as a natural stone. A few tells:
For more general checks, see our guide on how to tell if your crystals are real and our note on goldstone in the aventurine guide.
Sunstone is reasonably durable but not bulletproof. At 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale it is harder than glass but softer than quartz, and because feldspar has cleavage it can chip or split on a sharp knock, so it sits in the middle of our guide to the most durable gemstones for everyday wear. It is fine for everyday pieces with a little care.
To look after sunstone: clean it with a soft cloth and a quick rinse or mild soapy water, then dry it; avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners, which can worsen any internal flaws; and keep it away from hard knocks, harsh chemicals, perfume and prolonged heat. Store it apart from harder stones so its polish is not scratched, and choose protected settings for rings. See our water-safe crystals guide and how to store crystals.
Sunstone is chosen on colour and sparkle. Look for:
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What causes the sparkle in sunstone?
Tiny plate-like flecks of copper or hematite inside the feldspar reflect light, creating a glittering, metallic shimmer called aventurescence or schiller.
Is sunstone the same as goldstone?
No. Sunstone is a natural feldspar; goldstone is man-made glass with copper flecks. Goldstone is fine to own, but it is not a stone and should not be sold as natural sunstone.
What is Oregon sunstone?
A natural, copper-bearing feldspar from Oregon, USA, prized for being untreated and for colours that can include pink, red and green as well as the usual gold.
How hard is sunstone, and can it go in water?
It is 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale with some cleavage. A quick rinse is fine, but avoid soaking, ultrasonic cleaners, heat and hard knocks.
What is the difference between sunstone and moonstone?
Both are feldspars. Sunstone shows a warm, metallic glitter; moonstone shows a soft, billowy blue or white glow. Sunstone glitters, moonstone glows.
Jade is actually two minerals, jadeite and nephrite. Here's how they differ, the colours, the A/B/C treatment grades, how to spot imitations, and how to care for real jade.
Apatite is the stone that defines 5 on the Mohs scale, prized for its neon blue-green colour. Here's what it is, its colours, how to tell it from lookalike gems, and how to care for it.
Opal is hydrated silica that can flash with every colour, but it is soft and water-sensitive. Here are the types and colours, how to spot doublets and imitation opal, and how to care for it.
Jasper comes in more than 50 named varieties and almost every colour. Here's what jasper actually is, which stones sold as "jasper" are genuine, how to spot dyed or misnamed pieces, and how to care for it.
A practical, no-lab guide to telling real crystals from glass, plastic and dyed imitations: seven simple checks you can do at home, what "treated" really means, and links to detailed guides for specific stones.
A factual guide to fluorite: the calcium fluoride behind the word fluorescence, its purple-green-rainbow colours and English Blue John, why it is delicate, and how to look after it.
A factual guide to smoky quartz: what gives it its smoky colour, how to spot natural from artificially irradiated stones, the traditional names Cairngorm and morion, and how to care for it.
A factual guide to aquamarine: the blue beryl behind the sea-coloured stone, how to tell it from blue topaz and glass, the truth about heat treatment, and how to care for it.
A factual guide to labradorite: the grey feldspar that flashes blue, green and gold, what actually causes the labradorescence, how spectrolite and rainbow moonstone fit in, and how to care for it.
