Rough goldstone is usually sold as broken chunks and as slabs suitable for cutting cabochons. The chunks range from small pieces used for rock tumbling to large pieces weighing over 50 pounds. Although goldstone is a man-made material, it varies greatly in quality, appearance, and suitability for use in making cabochons, tumbled stones and other…

The earliest known object made from a goldstone-like material is an amulet excavated in Iran and dated to be from the 12th to early 13th century. The beginning of modern aventurine glass production began in Murano, Italy during the 17th century. It has been produced there, with some interruptions, up to the present time. A…

Before the name “goldstone” was used, the material was widely known as “aventurine glass.” That name is the source of three words that are commonly seen in gemology. Aventurine: A cabochon cut from a piece of quartz that contains an enormous number of tiny fuchsite inclusions. Fuchsite is a green chromium-rich mica that gives the quartz…

The glittery appearance of goldstone is often attributed to “bits of copper” or “copper filings” that have been added to the glass. That simplistic description is incorrect. Reddish brown goldstone is made by heating molten glass to a temperature that is hot enough to dissolve granules of copper oxide that are added to the melt. After…

Goldstone is a man-made colored glass that contains abundant, flat-faced, highly reflective inclusions. The reflective inclusions have a bright metallic luster, and their glittering appearance immediately attracts attention. This exciting appearance has made goldstone a popular man-made gem and sculptural material. It is often cut into cabochons, hearts, beads, spheres, pendulums, arrowheads, and small sculptures. It is a…