The problem with goldstone lots of glitter but no POP...

I like goldstone as do many people who like big belt buckles and   bolo ties. What most people do not realize is that there is much better goldstone out there than what you get for your money when you buy that pound of belly pinching belt buckle.

I use goldstone in my glass work and was happy with what I could buy until a fellow glass artist plopped down a small chunk of goldstone on my table at a marble show some years back. I blinked and realized that I was no longer going to be eating pork steak but pork chops. The goldstone I use is not gold nor a stone but is glass that has copper crystals in the glass. Since I am not a chemist I will not go into detail. All I know is what I see and what I see is three grades of goldstone, lousy… been there, good… what I use now and great… what I had and used up. In my search for the great stuff I have asked rock hounds, lapidary people, searched the net, and searched Ebay with no success. I have run across sellers who claim that there goldstone is first quality etc. They’re not liars; they just have not seen a great piece of goldstone. The quality is all about the size of the copper grain and the bigger the better.

There has to be goldstone out there that is far superior to what is readily available, I know, I have seen and used it! I have been told that the good stuff is no longer made and can only be obtained from old stock? I have also been told that the better goldstone is in the core of the batch produced? I also have been told that modern goldstone is being produced in China, hum, how good can that be in view of the fact that most people would not know the difference between the good to great goldstone. So why make a better goldstone? I will trade a bushel of rice for a couple ounces of great goldstone but I do not think I will find it in China!

 Final word... I want my goldstone to POP out at you!

  Stay tuned for other rants.

MikeE