Gold Luster Reviews: My Honest Review of 3 Popular Brands
After 10+ years of working with gold luster, I've developed some strong opinions about what works and what doesn't. Recently, I put three popular gold luster brands head-to-head in a real-world comparison test, and the results might surprise you (or confirm what you already suspected).
New Mexico Premium Gold 2gms (12% gold), Duncan Bright Gold 2gms (8% gold), and Laguna Clay Company's Gold Coast Luster 5gms (5% gold).
Mayco Bright Gold 2gms (8% gold), Mayco Premium Gold 2gms (11% gold), New Mexico Premium Gold 2gms (12% gold).
The Contenders
Mayco/Duncan Premium Gold Luster (11%) - My longtime go-to choice
New Mexico Clay Liquid Bright Gold (12%) - The challenging - no smell- choice
Laguna Luster Gold Coast (5.5%) - The middle ground
Colorobbia Premium Bright Gold (10-11%) - The European contender. This one was reviewed a few years ago but I’m also including the results.
Testing Method
To keep things fair, I used the same application process for all four lusters over glazed pieces. While each brand has specific instructions that might optimize results, I wanted to see how they performed under consistent real-world conditions - because let's be honest, who has time to follow four different protocols?
The Results
Ceramic test pieces comparing New Mexico Gold Luster (12%) vs Duncan/Mayco Bright Gold (8%), with a final comparison showing Duncan/Mayco Premium Gold (11%) vs NM Gold Luster after firing at Cone 018.
Mayco/Duncan Premium Gold Luster: The Champion
Application: Easy and intuitive
Time: Fast and clean process
Results: 5 stars - Consistent, reliable gold finish
Smell: Bad (the price of perfection)
After a decade of using Duncan Premium Gold, it remains my top choice. Yes, it's more expensive, but here's why it's worth every penny: you get consistent results on the first try. No purple hazes, no dirty finishes, no need to re-fire. The application is straightforward, and while the smell is strong, the reliability more than makes up for it.
Update on Duncan Premium Gold Luster Availability
It's important to note that Duncan was acquired by Mayco, and the gold luster was subsequently rebranded as Mayco Premium Gold Luster.
However, after just a few months on the market, Mayco made the disappointing decision to discontinue this product line due to packaging problems. Given that gold luster represents a very small portion of their overall business, it apparently wasn't worth the investment to resolve these issues.
I currently have a limited batch of this premium gold luster in stock, but once it's gone, ceramists will need to look elsewhere for this quality level or settle for the alternatives I've reviewed above.
New Mexico Clay Liquid Bright Gold: The Budget Option
Application: Difficult and finicky
Time: Slow and messy
Results: 2 stars - Inconsistent coverage and color
Smell: No smell (the only positive)
The 12% gold content sounds impressive, but the application is frustrating. It's messy, slow to work with, and the results are unpredictable. While it's budget-friendly and odorless, you'll likely spend more time (and possibly materials) trying to get acceptable results.
Laguna Luster Gold Coast: The Middle Ground
Application: Medium difficulty
Time: Medium pace, clean process
Results: 3 stars - Decent but not exceptional
Smell: Medium intensity
Laguna offers a reasonable compromise. The application is manageable but not easy, and while the results aren't spectacular, they're acceptable for many projects. The 5.5% gold content shows, but it's serviceable for less critical applications.
Laguna Clay results. It's shiny and nice, though if you apply too much of it, it cracks or looks saturated.
You can see how the gold looks slightly more saturated or thicker in some areas.
Colorobbia Premium Bright Gold: The European Alternative
Application: Medium difficulty
Time: Medium pace, clean process
Results: 3 stars - Similar to Laguna, less shinny
Smell: Medium intensity
The Colorobbia luster performed similarly to Laguna - decent but not outstanding. The 10-11% gold content should theoretically give better results, but in practice, it falls short of the premium Duncan quality.
The Bottom Line
After testing all four brands, Duncan Premium Gold remains my recommendation. Here's why:
Time is money. Other brands come with lengthy instruction manuals, complex do's and don'ts, and often suggest re-firing if results aren't satisfactory. I don't have time for that, and neither do you.
Consistency matters. When you're working on commissioned pieces or teaching students, you need predictable results. Duncan delivers every time.
Quality justifies cost. What you don't save in material costs, you save in time, energy, and frustration. First-try success is worth the premium price.
My Honest Recommendation
If you're just starting out or working on practice pieces, the budget options might be worth exploring. But if you're serious about your ceramic work and want professional results, stick with Duncan/Mayco Premium Gold.
Although it's discontinued, there are still a few suppliers out there with remaining inventory. If you can't locate any through other sources, I'll likely switch to Laguna's option as my backup choice, despite its limitations compared to the original Duncan/Mayco formula.
After 10+ years in this craft, I've learned that some things are worth paying for - and reliable gold luster is definitely one of them.
The old saying "you get what you pay for" rings especially true in the world of ceramic lusters. Sometimes the best investment is simply buying the best product from the start.
Have you tried any of these gold lusters? I'd love to hear about your experiences in the comments below. And if you're looking for application tips for Duncan/Mayco Premium Gold, check out my YouTube tutorial.
