Aventurine gemstone

Physical properties of aventurine

Characteristics of aventurine

Aventurine (sparkler, gold spark, gold stone, Indian jade) is a kind of quartz gemstone. The range of colors of the stone is quite wide - from yellow, green and blue to cherry and almost black. The main difference between aventurine is the inclusion of flakes of mica, goethite, hematite and other components. The aventurine rock is also characterized by the presence of small cracks filled with iron hydroxides. As a result, the stone has a sparkling golden tint and a soft shimmering sheen (hence the names - “gold sparks”, “sparklers”).

This stone has been known for a long time. Even the ancient Egyptians tried to artificially create aventurine from glass interspersed with sparkles. And they did it well. However, in Europe the secret of manufacturing became known only in the 16th century, and even then quite by accident (Venetian glassblowers dropped some copper filings into molten glass). Because of this whim of fate, the Italians called the stone "avventura", which means "chance".

The name stuck. Although, for example, Americans call aventurine "Colorado gold stone", the Chinese respectfully call it "imperial stone" and consider this mineral sacred, only the Indians did not philosophize and simply (but proudly) called it "Indian jade".

Aventurine is well polished and its use is very wide. In Russia, vases, candlesticks were made from avatyurin, and they decorated the handles of knives and forks. The British made large rings, on the back of which sometimes a miniature portrait was hidden. And the Chinese used aventurine to make the imperial state seal.

Now aventurine goes to the production of beads, bracelets, pendants, cufflinks, small carvings and even massage balls. The current prices for this gem are not very high.