“Moon, moon, moon, shining bright. Moon, moon, moon, my night light. Moon, moon, moon, I can see. Moon, moon, moon, you’re taking care of me.” So goes “Moon Moon Moon” by the Laurie Berkner Band, a pleasant ear worm on my toddler’s playlist. (Berkner is a performer who puts out kids’ music that doesn’t make you go bananas, if you’re interested.)

I find the song soothing and further complementary to my feeling of comfort derived from the moon, a beautiful, sometimes supernatural sighting that I wish I spent more time viewing. As we move into fall, it’s likely you’ll hear more about the moon. The harvest moon—the full presence that glows brightly at the start of autumn (next month)—inspires in more ways than one.

What was once a sight that signaled to farmers that the time for harvesting the last of summer’s crops was here, the moon’s bright light gave them more time to gather them well into the night. The harvest moon now lends spiritual meaning that extends well beyond the farm.

Just as the clearing of crops would reset the earth’s soil for future planting, the harvest moon inspires new beginnings, to start fresh and grow anew. Though I find the moon to be especially enchanting this time of year, it’s really an all-seasons icon—and not just in its fullest form.

You should know that designer Gabriella Kiss offers a range of moon-themed jewelry, much of it utilizing the image of the full moon, some creations even depicting its phases. But it’s this crescent moon pendant, glowing with dreamy mother-of-pearl, that has me mesmerized. It caught my eye when Los Angeles–based retailer August shared the image on its Instagram page, the curved silhouette flecked with a small peak of gold, pointing outward from its gilded setting. That the jewel was presented by a beautifully manicured hand may have enhanced its brilliant effect, but this is certainly a piece that would stun in any setting.

If the full moon represents starting over, the crescent moon must mean that things aren’t over yet. With only so much yet revealed, we can hold out hope by knowing what we know and only imagining what we don’t. It tells us that there’s still time left in this phase to do what we must or what we like, before moving on to the next one.

The glimmer of mother-of-pearl, yet another example of how gorgeously cool the gem of the sea can be, is the cherry on a most excellent cupcake.

For those who would like to mark their calendars: According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the 2020 peak harvest moon will occur on Oct. 1 at 5:06 p.m. ET.

Top: Crescent moon pendant in 22k yellow gold with mother-of-pearl, price on request (image courtesy of August)

Brittany Siminitz

JCK Contributing Editor