Goldstone: A Man-Made Healing Crystal
Goldstone is often regarded as a crystal that can bring about healing. In reality, it is a man-made glass with metallic inclusions that mimic the appearance of gemstones. Most goldstone today is manufactured in China, where the process also occurs for a few well-known imitations of precious stones. The blue variety of goldstone is the most popular, but the orange-brown variety (which is actually more common) gets its color from tiny pieces of crystallized copper that were mixed into the colorless glass before it was melted.
Types of Goldstone and Their Materials
Colored glass is the primary material of all three types of goldstone. Blue goldstone substitutes cobalt for copper, which gives off the blue color when heated. Green goldstone, which is similar, uses chromium instead of copper. Both types of goldstone are impressive, but they’re also quite rare. When you stir in this type of goldstone pendant into your daily routine, you’re not just wearing something beautiful; you’re wearing a piece of history.
The Myth Behind Goldstone’s Creation
There is a popular online narrative that tells how goldstone came to be. It credits Venetian monks with its creation, but that is a myth. The tale of the monks has become part of the widely shared backstory of goldstone. In truth, a glass known as aventurine was an ancient precursor to goldstone. The mineral known as aventurine is believed to have been named after goldstone because of its light-reflecting properties. That means, then, that goldstone with its current name is no older than the glassmaking techniques used to create aventurine and actually more modern than the mineral.
The Sparkle of Goldstone: Its Healing Power
The ‘twinkle’ of goldstone is best observed in normal light. This is because we need an ordinary light environment for the inclusions to reflect and give off their sparkle. When used as a healing crystal, goldstone is even more potent than sunlight. It not only works in a light environment but also seems to thrive when the light really hits it. Goldstone really shines. When using it in a healing capacity, that’s what we want.
Goldstone as an Imitation of Sunstone
Goldstone was once used frequently to imitate natural sunstone. It is an imitation of a mineral that is not a common semiprecious stone. Sunstone is none other than aventurine feldspar.