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Enjoy goldstone's
myths, mysteries and sparkles
By Bethany Waldrop Keiper & Charles L. Back
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"A broad and
ample road, whose dust is gold, And pavement stars -" --John Milton
The allure of
gold has been one of the most powerful motivators in the history of the
world. It is almost synonymous with power, success, and wealth. No
wonder, then, that ancient alchemists worked so hard to try and
synthesize it. For thousands of years, man has tried to make gold out
of stones. Although no mystical process of alchemy ever worked, we
eventually found a way to put gold into stones...or at least
that's how it looks when viewing the sparkling goldstone.
Although its
fantastic shimmer and intricate settings might suggest otherwise,
goldstone is actually a manmade stone, composed mainly of glass and
copper. Under the right conditions, these two basic materials can
produce a complex, glittering result. Once polished, goldstone can be
carved into intricate shapes or fashioned into cabochons or beads.
Most often,
goldstone is seen in its common reddish-brown color, but can also
present with a matrix of an intense blue or violet color, or very
rarely, a green color. No matter the color, the glittering, starry-sky
appearance remains, although it is more of a silver color in the blue
and green variations.
There are
several beliefs as to goldstone's origin, names, and scope of
availability. One of the most popular beliefs contends that Italian
alchemist monks created goldstone accidentally during their search for
gold, a theory explaining the origin of the stone's common nicknames:
monk's gold and monkstone. So closely was the creation of goldstone
tied to the mysterious reputation of the monks that, in the 1970s,
rumors circulated that the secret to fabricating goldstone died with
the last monks who knew them, and there would be no more available.
Of course,
this rumor, like the theory of goldstone's origin, proved to be untrue.
The true origin of goldstone is in Venice in the seventeenth century.
The Miotti family discovered the manufacturing process, and were
granted an exclusive license for it.
Other names
for this stone are "stellaria," based on the beautiful
starry sparkles inside the stones, and "sun sitara." It is made
primarily in Czechoslovakia, Venice and, along with many other beads,
it is also made in China.
Oddly enough,
manmade goldstone shares the source of its name with similar natural
stones. The original Italian name for goldstone is "aventurina."
The name for actual minerals with similar sparkles and glitter from
mica is "aventurine." Another of goldstone's names is aventurine glass,
which coincides with the dichroic and lampworked beads decorated with
loops and frit dots of blue and gold aventurine glass -- or blue and
brown goldstone.
Not unlike
its rare and sought-after namesake, goldstone carries with it an
association to power, vitality and energy. The more rare the variety of
goldstone, the more powerful and alluring it is thought by many to be.
In its most
common, reddish-brown presentation, it is considered imbued with a
gently uplifting aura that, because of its copper-heavy make-up, can
help those wearing it to find relief from arthritis and other
bone-weakening ailments. Admirers of goldstone's metaphysical qualities
speak of the stone having the ability to actually hold the personal
energy of those who touch it.
Rare blue
goldstone, which runs from a deep purplish presentation through the
blue hues into a sort of midnight blue-black, is reputed to be blessed
with healing powers and to be a bringer of wisdom to its wearer. It's
also said to attract success and fame, making it an ideal stone for
actors, performers and those whose ambitions tend toward the spotlight.
More practically, blue goldstone's presence is said to help alleviate
children's fear of the dark.
Although
modern fascination with goldstone may have peaked around the late
1900s, it remains a popular gemstone strictly based on its appearance.
Prone not only to the sparkling effect inherent to its glass and
copper-infused makeup, when cut properly, finished stones may effect a
brilliant flash of sparkles as well. Heirloom jewelry pieces are
sometimes found nestled into high-quality gold settings, thus enhancing
the beauty of the gemstone and speaking to the general opinion of its
attractiveness and value at the time. And although goldstone synthesis
is not considered especially intricate process, a faux, plastic-based
version has been successfully introduced.
Centuries-old
goldstone, once a manufactured byproduct of the impossible dreams of
ambitious alchemists seeking fame and fortune, continues a tradition of
light and mystery easily read in the glimmer it carries into the 21st
century. |
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