What is the difference between sunstone and goldstone?

Goldstone is man-made glass with uniform copper flecks. Natural sunstone has irregular platelets of different sizes.

Why does some sunstone only sparkle at an angle?

The platelets lie in planes, and if the stone was not cut parallel to them, the flash shows only when tilted.

Is sunstone suitable for a ring?

Yes with care. It is 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale and has cleavage, so avoid hard knocks.

Sunstone Price in Pakistan: What Makes It Cost More

Q: What makes sunstone sparkle?

Tiny flat platelets, usually hematite and sometimes copper, inside the feldspar reflect light in flashes called aventurescence.

Why Sunstone Prices Differ: Glitter, Colour and Cut

In short: Sunstone prices differ mainly because of its glitter: how dense and bright the flashes are, how evenly they spread, the warmth and clarity of the body colour, and whether the stone was cut parallel to its platelets. Size matters less than these. Beware goldstone, a manufactured glass with tiny, perfectly uniform copper flecks.

2 min read

In this article

What makes sunstone sparkle
The four things that move the price
Sunstone or goldstone?
Wear and care
Before you pay

GemStore team — written by the people who list and pack every stone.

Reviewed on 19 October 2026

Sunstone owes its sparkle to tiny flat crystals inside the stone that catch the light like scattered gold flakes. How many of those flakes there are, how evenly they spread and how well the cut shows them off are what you are really paying for. This guide explains those drivers.

What makes sunstone sparkle

Sunstone is a feldspar containing thin platelets, usually of hematite, and in some sources copper. When light hits them they flash, an effect called aventurescence. The body colour around them ranges from pale peach and orange to red-brown.

The four things that move the price

Strength of the glitter: dense, bright flashes across the whole stone are worth more than a few scattered sparks or a dull, cloudy shimmer.
Evenness: glitter spread evenly across the face looks better set than patches of sparkle and blank areas.
Body colour and clarity: a warm, lively orange to red with some translucency is preferred over muddy brown or very opaque material.
Cut and orientation: the platelets lie in planes, so the stone must be cut parallel to them to flash face-up. A poorly oriented stone only sparkles at an angle.

Size matters less than these, although large stones with strong, even glitter are harder to find.

Sunstone or goldstone?

Goldstone is manufactured glass filled with copper particles, and it is often sold as sunstone. Its flecks are tiny, perfectly uniform and evenly spaced, like glitter in nail polish, and the colour is often a very consistent reddish-brown. Natural sunstone shows irregular platelets of different sizes. A flawless, perfectly even and cheap stone is the warning sign. Ask the seller to write that it is natural sunstone.

Wear and care

At 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale sunstone suits pendants, earrings and a ring worn with some care. Like other feldspars it has cleavage, so avoid hard knocks, and clean it with mild soap and water rather than an ultrasonic cleaner.

Before you pay

Confirm the stone is natural, that any treatment is written down and that the weight given is the cut stone's. We inspect every stone and photograph each one alone, so you can see its glitter on the listing. Browse our sunstone, or compare yellow agate and dur-e-najaf. Our gem names page lists Urdu and English names, and Cash on Delivery reaches Lahore, Karachi and the rest of Pakistan.

References