A warm orange full of glitter that lights up the moment you tilt it toward the light: sunstone lives up to its name. It's moonstone's cousin in the big feldspar family, and its sunny side, all joy and drive. It gives sunstone jewelry a summer glow all year long. Here's what you need to know about its geology, where its sparkle comes from, its meaning and properties, and how to wear it and care for it.
What is sunstone?
Sunstone is a feldspar, usually oligoclase, with tiny metallic inclusions scattered through its clear body. These flakes of hematite or copper all lie in the same direction, so they catch and reflect the light together. That sparkle has a name, aventurescence, and it's the same effect you see in green aventurine. The color runs from pale orange to coppery red, depending on how dense the inclusions are.
It rates 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale. That's medium hardness, so it needs a little care around knocks. The historic deposits are in Norway, and today India supplies most of the stones used in jewelry. Oregon, in the United States, produces a highly prized variety whose flakes are pure copper. Sunstone is also found in Tanzania and Russia.
A word of honesty: the red-brown "sunstone" packed with glitter that you sometimes see sold cheap is often goldstone, a glass made in a workshop with copper inclusions. It's pretty, but it isn't a natural stone. Real sunstone has more irregular flakes and a more translucent body. Not sure about a piece? Ask us for the details before you order.
Where does the name sunstone come from?
The name says it all: a feldspar that catches the light like a piece of the sun. Mineralogists also call it heliolite, from the Greek helios (sun) and lithos (stone). Next to milky, bluish moonstone, sunstone is the daytime star. Two feldspars, two kinds of light.
Sunstone history and legends
Sunstone was rare for a long time. It started out as a collector's curiosity, described in Norway in the 19th century. Then the Oregon deposits, mined from the 1980s on, brought it into fine jewelry, and Oregon made it its official state gem. Legend has it that Viking navigators used a "sunstone" to find the sun on cloudy days. Researchers now think that stone was more likely a calcite crystal. It's a great story, just about a different stone.
Sunstone meaning and symbolism
Sunstone is a stone of light. It's known as the stone of joy, drive and the warmth you share with the people around you. Its glitter stands for the spark, that small flash that gets you moving again. In the chakra system, it's linked to the solar plexus chakra, the center of confidence and willpower, and to the sacral chakra for its orange color.
It's often called a stone for Leo, the sun sign above all others, and you'll find it in our jewelry for Leo.
Sunstone properties in crystal lore
In crystal lore, sunstone is the stone of good spirits. It's the one to keep close on gray days, when you want a little more zest and lightness. It's said to invite optimism, support your self-confidence and help you say yes to what life brings.
Like the other sun stones, it's also linked to luck and abundance, in the sense of a generosity you both receive and give. These meanings are symbolic: sunstone doesn't promise anything, it simply keeps you company. You'll find it in our collections for drive and motivation and self-confidence, and in our sun collection.
Sunstone is known for inviting joy and drive, like a spark you carry with you.
How to wear sunstone
Sunstone looks its best on the wrist, where its glitter comes alive with every move. The sunstone bracelet is the easiest way to start. The tiger's eye and sunstone bracelet pairs two golden stones, one with a silky sheen and one that sparkles. Close to the heart, the sunstone and clear quartz pendant sets its warmth against the clarity of quartz.
Its orange works with light summer outfits and with deep winter shades, where it adds a touch of sun. Browse all our sunstone jewelry to find the style that suits you.
Crystals that pair well with sunstone
Sunstone works well with warm, bright stones, and with its moonlit cousin. A few favorite pairings:
- Sunstone and moonstone: day and night. Two feldspars that complete each other, for a balanced duo.
- Sunstone and citrine: two sun stones, both linked to joy and confidence.
- Sunstone and carnelian: sparkling orange meets deep orange, two stones of drive and vitality.
- Sunstone and tiger's eye: two golden tones, one sparkling and one silky, for confidence and drive.
Want to build your own combinations? See our guide to crystal compatibility.
How to clean and care for sunstone
With its medium hardness, sunstone can chip or scratch, so store it on its own, away from harder stones. To clean it, rinse it quickly under lukewarm water, rub it gently and dry it with a soft cloth. Keep it away from household cleaners and perfume, which can dull the surface.
To bring back its glow, morning light is the most natural option: set it near a window for an hour or two and watch the glitter wake up. All our tips are in our guide on how to cleanse and care for your crystals.
Sunstone at a glance
- Family: feldspar (oligoclase) with hematite or copper inclusions
- Hardness: 6 to 6.5 (Mohs scale)
- Crystal system: triclinic
- Deposits: India, Norway, United States (Oregon), Tanzania, Russia
- Color: orange to coppery red, with glittering flakes
- Meaning: joy, drive, warmth
- Chakras: solar plexus and sacral
Frequently asked questions
What makes sunstone sparkle?
Tiny metallic inclusions of hematite or copper, all lined up in the same direction inside the feldspar. They reflect the light and create the shimmer called aventurescence.
How do you spot real sunstone?
Real sunstone has irregular flakes and a translucent body. Goldstone, a copper glass made in a workshop, has very even, very dense glitter on an opaque red-brown background.
What are the properties of sunstone?
Sunstone is known for inviting joy, drive and confidence. These meanings come from crystal lore and are symbolic: think of them as a small daily reminder, not a promise.
What's the difference between sunstone and moonstone?
Both are feldspars. Moonstone gets its bluish glow from the layered structure of the mineral. Sunstone gets its orange sparkle from metallic inclusions. One is milky and lunar, the other glittering and solar.
How do I care for sunstone?
Rinse it quickly in lukewarm water, dry it with a soft cloth and store it separately so it doesn't get scratched. It loves morning light.
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