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| SpiritRock Shop |
Click on any photo to see a larger version
| The History of Goldstone Goldstone is a type of glass made with copper or copper salts in the presence of a reducing flame. Under normal oxidative conditions, copper ions meld into the silica to produce transparent bluish-green glass; when the reduced goldstone melt cools, the copper remains in atomic isolation and precipitates into small crystalline clusters. The finished product can take a smooth polish and be carved into beads, figurines, or other artifacts suitable for semiprecious stone, and in fact goldstone is often mistaken or misrepresented as a natural material. The most common form of goldstone gives the illusion of being reddish-brown, although in fact that color comes from the copper crystals and the glass itself is colorless. Some goldstone variants have an intensely-colored glass matrix-- usually blue or violet, more rarely green-- and a more silvery appearance to the suspended crystals, whose color may be partially masked by the glass or which may be based on different metals than copper (perhaps cobalt, manganese, or chromium). The manufacturing process for goldstone was discovered in seventeenth-century Venice by the Miotti family, which was granted an exclusive license by the "Doge" (The chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice). Persistent folklore attributes the discovery and secret of goldstone to an unnamed Italian monastic order, giving rise to the alternate name "monk's gold" or "monkstone". Another name, "stellaria", is based on the starry internal reflections. Curiously, goldstone is one of the few cases where a synthetic simulant provided the eponymy for the similar natural stone. The original Italian name for goldstone is "avventurina" or some similar word or phrase indicating its accidental discovery, hence the mineral name "aventurine" for forms of feldspar or quartz with mica inclusions that give a similar glittering appearance. |
| Blue Goldstone 30mm Sphere "Starry Night" $17.00 |
| Polished 30mm Blue Goldstone Sphere and Display Stand |
| Goldstone 30mm Sphere $15.00 |
| Polished 30mm Goldstone Sphere and Display Stand |
| Item # GS8017004 Blue Goldstone Heart 30mm x 30mm x 12mm $17.00 |
| Polished 30mm x 30mm x 12mm Blue Goldstone Heart |
| Item # GS8017005 Goldstone Puffy Heart 40mm x 35mm x 23mm $15.00 |
| Polished 40mm x 35mm x 23mm Goldstone Puffy Heart |
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| Item # GS1107006 Goldstone Rough From Italy $20.00 |
Very interesting rough piece with excellent uniformity of mix but with well defined unmixed swirls. This one should
make a very interesting polished and shaped display. This specimen weighs 1.15lb (522g) and measures roughly
2.8 x 2.9 x 2.4 inches (71 x 74 x 61mm)
make a very interesting polished and shaped display. This specimen weighs 1.15lb (522g) and measures roughly
2.8 x 2.9 x 2.4 inches (71 x 74 x 61mm)
| Item # GS1107007 Blue/Purple Goldstone Rough $35.00 |
1.8 lbs of Rough Blue/Purple Goldstone
Another unique rough piece with excellent uniformity of mix but with well defined unmixed swirls. This one should
make a very interesting polished and shaped display. This specimen weighs 1.8lb (816g) and measures roughly 3.7
x 3.5 x 3.6 inches (94 x 89 x 92mm) [we tend to like the swirl mix pieces better than the totally uniform pieces...it
gives each piece a unique character all it's own.]
Another unique rough piece with excellent uniformity of mix but with well defined unmixed swirls. This one should
make a very interesting polished and shaped display. This specimen weighs 1.8lb (816g) and measures roughly 3.7
x 3.5 x 3.6 inches (94 x 89 x 92mm) [we tend to like the swirl mix pieces better than the totally uniform pieces...it
gives each piece a unique character all it's own.]
14.5g of Rough Green Goldstone
Green is the hardest color to come by. We are working on getting more green, but it is extremely scarce. Here is a
small sample piece. It weighs 14.5g and measures 2 x 1.1 x 0.3 inches (51 x 27 x 7mm)
Green is the hardest color to come by. We are working on getting more green, but it is extremely scarce. Here is a
small sample piece. It weighs 14.5g and measures 2 x 1.1 x 0.3 inches (51 x 27 x 7mm)
| Item # GS1107008 Rough Green Goldstone Sample $10.00 |
| Item # GS1107009 Blue Goldstone "Starry Night" Rough Sample $20.00 |
| Item # GS1207010 51mm Green Goldstone Sphere $49.00 |
Nice distribution on most views. These are getting very difficult to find, in fact this is only the 2nd one of these that we
have found in the past few years. Most of the specimens have very limited amount of sparkle and tend to be just a
deep emerald green with an occasional sparkle. This one won't last long, an excellent collector sphere!
have found in the past few years. Most of the specimens have very limited amount of sparkle and tend to be just a
deep emerald green with an occasional sparkle. This one won't last long, an excellent collector sphere!
| This Item Sold and is on its way to Ramona, CA |
| This Item Sold and is on its way to Ramona, CA |
| This Item Sold and is on its way to Ramona, CA |