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STUNNING 1940s Goldstone 12K Gold Filled Full Parure- Screwback Earrings Bracelet and Necklace WAS 56

STUNNING 1940s Goldstone 12K Gold Filled Full Parure- Screwback Earrings Bracelet and Necklace WAS 56

Description

A very beautiful goldstone full parure; matching necklace, earrings, and bracelet!

The pendant has a prong set goldstone cab in a modernist triangle frame. It measures 1 3/8" x 1". The clasp of the chain is stamped "12K GF Speidel" and chain is 24" . The earrings are screw back clasp dangles with the same design only smaller. The bracelet has 5 oval goldstone links, measures 7 1/8" with clasp closed.

So, what is goldstone you ask?

It is a rust colored glass, and no, that is not gold in the glass. The glittery flashes are made of copper. When copper is added to molten glass, the copper crystallizes. Interestingly, even though goldstone is man-made, you will often find it listed with gemstones.

There are three stories about the origins of goldstone. The first is that sometime during the early 1800’s, an Italian monk was making glass at his monastery. He accidentally spilled some copper filings into his molten glass and, voila, goldstone was born. The recipe for making goldstone was kept secret by the monks, but was handed down through time.

The second story also takes place in Italy. This story goes that a long time ago, molten copper was accidentally spilled into molten glass at a glass factory in Murano. The accident created goldstone.

The final story, my favorite, is that goldstone was created by alchemists. One of the many problems that alchemists tried to solve was how to turn iron into gold. Goldstone is thought to be the result of one of these attempts.

While goldstone is still used in jewelry today, goldstone’s heyday was during the Victorian era, when women wore brooches, necklaces, and stick pins made using this glittery glass.

Added on Mar 23, 2009