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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. |
| Item # GS06118821 Green Goldstone Heart 25mm x 25mm x 8mm $24.00 |
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| Item # GS11105861 Blue/Purple Goldstone Polished Palm Stone Freeform $45.00 |
| 0.69 lbs of Polished Blue/Purple Goldstone Another beautiful polished piece with excellent uniformity with a swirl mix. This one makes a very interesting polished and shaped freeform display specimen. This specimen weighs 0.69 lb (314g) and measures 2.7 x 2.1 x 2 inches (69 x 55 x 50mm) |
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 $24.00 |
| Item # GS05109961 50mm Green Goldstone Sphere $49.00 |
Nice sparkle distribution on most views. These are getting very difficult to find, in fact this is one of 5 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!
| Item # GS05100704 3.2 lb Goldstone Rough From Australia $79.00 |
| Very interesting rough piece with excellent uniformity of mix but with well defined unmixed swirls. This one should make a very interesting polished display or cut some very nice jewelery cabs. This specimen weighs 3.22lb (1462g) and measures roughly 5.9 x 4.1 x 3.2 inches (150 x 104 x 80mm) |
| Rare rough "Starry Night" Blue Goldstone specimen from England vintage 1970's era This specimen weighs 0.24 lbs (112g) and measures 2.6 x 1.7 x 1.3 inches (66 x 44 x 33mm) |
| Item # LGS2108001 Large 3" (76mm) Goldstone Sphere 1.42 lbs $35.00 |
| Item # GS05108961 50mm Green Goldstone Sphere $49.00 |
Nice sparkle distribution on most views. These are getting very difficult to find, in fact this is one of 5 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!
| Item # GS05107961 50mm Green Goldstone Sphere (Low Sparkle) $12.00 |
| low sparkle distribution on most views. These are getting very difficult to find, in fact this is one of 5 of these that we have found in the past few years. Most of the specimens (like this one) have very limited amount of sparkle and tend to be just a deep emerald green with an occasional sparkle. This piece is a low cost starter specimen for the beginning collectors |
| Item # BGS2108002 50mm Blue Goldstone Sphere $29.00 |
| Item # GGS11108992 2.7 lb Green Goldstone Rough $65.00 |
| Note imperfection dot (pit) in photo #1 |
| Super Sparkley Green Goldstone! 2.71 lbs of rare and beautiful intense green Goldstone rough specimen. Plenty of material to make several projects or just keep it for a display specimen! This piece weighs 2.71 lbs (1233g) and measures 5 x 3.3 x 3 inches (12.7 x 8.5 x 7.8cm) |
| Polished 25mm x 25mm x 8mm Green Goldstone Heart |
| Quantity Available 1 |
| Notice to Our Customers We will be closed from May 18th through August 15th 2012 to relocate our business. Orders placed during this time will not be shipped until after August 15th. Purchases or Reservations will be honored in the date order they are received. 1st purchaser is served 1st. |