Some jewellery is made to be noticed, and some is made to be remembered. The Rainbow Blue Moonstone collection at John Ross Jewellers sits comfortably in the second group.
The Stone at the Heart of It
Moonstone has never been the most talked-about gemstone in fine jewellery, which is a shame. The effect that makes it special, called adularescence, is genuinely lovely. As the stone moves, a soft glow drifts across its surface, as though the light is coming from inside it rather than bouncing off the outside. The rainbow blue variety gives that effect a cool, watery colour, so the blue sheen reads with real clarity. Cut wide enough, the stone almost looks liquid, like a small pool of shifting blue that changes under daylight, candlelight, and even the light of your phone screen. It is the kind of gem that looks a little different every time you glance at it, which is exactly what makes it so easy to live with.
The Anchor
This is the centrepiece of the collection, built around the largest moonstone in the range. The setting is generous, and the space around the centre stone is where the craft really shows. The sapphires sit close enough together to read as a single band of cornflower blue rather than a row of separate stones, and the diamonds are used in small, careful touches to add flashes of white light. The band is slim, which keeps the ring comfortable for everyday wear and makes the setting look almost like it is floating on the finger. If you want the piece that best captures the whole idea of the collection, this is it.
The Quieter Sibling
Same thinking, slightly softer feel. Where Ring One makes its point through the number of sapphires, Ring Two has a little more breathing room. There is a touch more space between each stone in the halo, which lets the yellow gold show through and warm the blue from underneath. The moonstone is brighter and more translucent, lifting in sunlight rather than deepening. If you love the look of the collection but want something a little less bold on the hand, this is the one that will suit you.
The Pear-Cut Variation
A different shape, and a different feel entirely. Pear-cut sapphires set around a smaller centre stone create a floral, petal-like shape. The pointed ends of the pear stones draw the eye outward, where Rings One and Two keep it moving in a circle. A slightly broader setting and a marginally heavier band give the design the support it needs, and the larger diamond presence adds the sparkle the petal arrangement relies on to hold together. The result reads less like a halo and more like a flower, with the moonstone glowing at its heart. For anyone drawn to florals or to designs with a bit of movement, this ring rewards a closer look.
Amethyst Joins the Conversation
The most distinctive piece in the collection, and the most colourful. The first three rings stay within a blue and white palette, but Ring Four brings something new. Marquise-cut amethysts add a violet warmth that sits beautifully between the gold of the band and the blue of the sapphires, giving the ring a softer, twilight feel. The oval moonstone acts as a focal point rather than dominating the design, and the diamond weight steps up noticeably, providing the sparkle needed to tie the more varied coloured stones together. The elongated setting flatters the finger with a vertical line, and the slim band keeps the whole thing feeling light. If you want a ring that feels a little different from anything else in the showcase, this is the one.
Sapphires and Diamonds: Why Both
A halo made from just one type of stone, whether all diamonds or all sapphires, is simpler to make and simpler to read. Combining the two is a deliberate choice. Diamonds give you brilliance, white light returned in sharp flashes. Sapphires give you body colour and a slower, deeper kind of shine. Put them together and the eye has two things to follow at once: the quick sparkle of the diamonds and the steady colour of the sapphires. Against the moonstone's own slow-moving blue, that contrast is what makes the centre stone appear to almost glow from within. Each element makes the others look better than they would on their own, which is really the whole point of a well-designed ring.
Made to Be Worn
This collection is built for wearing, not just for storing away. The rings sit low enough to slide under a cuff, are smart enough to anchor an evening outfit, and thanks to the way moonstone shifts in the light, they are never quite the same ring twice. Two people seeing the same piece on the same day, in different lighting, will describe two different stones. That is the real pleasure of owning a good moonstone. It keeps giving you something new to notice.
The Rainbow Blue Moonstone collection is available to view in full at John Ross Jewellers.