How to Spot Fake Moldavite | Welcome to the Webs oldest and most informative Education page on the fake Moldavite coming out of China, Thailand & India.
By Mike Eggleston / InnerVision Crystals
Since 2006 IVC has been one of the premier Moldavite Experts and Dealers in the world. Search our menu above for the largest online collection of this amazing stone. My wife and I also helped provide info & edited the English Translation for our Czech Friends official book on Moldavite.
We are continually updating our page with information & Pictures.
Tips to look for in fake stones :
1. If they appear to be the same shapes & textures, or resemble the pictures on this page
2. If they all appear Shiny / Wet looking.
3. If the faceted gemstones do not have bubbles or inclusions, if these appear flawless or clean like glass then they are probably fake. All Real Faceted Moldavite will have some bubbles, any shape and any size, as well as lechatelierite inclusions (pure silica glass - melted quartz), the way only nature can create.
New Video 9/27/2020 to help YOU identify your Moldavite
Please STUDY these videos & pictures so YOU can spot the differences.
If you still cant figure it out ,You can also ask on Facebook in various Moldavite Groups. But please look over the info here so you can do it yourself before overwhelming groups with "is it fake" posts.
These have been the most popular in since 2020, as well as in Pendant form from a few companies. They appear to have made molds & mass produced them. India is also trying to make chips, but they can not replicate the texture, etc. ONLY BUY FROM TRUSTED SOURCES. If you are trying to buy on ebay / etsy and the price seems LOW , then it is probably fake, even though some are charging top dollar $ for these fakes. Study these pics of the fakes going around.
Here is an amazing pic of a heavily included REAL Moldavite gemstone. You can see the inclusions from lechatelierite & bubbles. This is ONLY seen in genuine Gemstones or Polished Moldavite stones and the inclusions vary from stone to stone but you will not see this is in Raw form.
BUBBLES can be ANY shape & size (they are only seen inside the stone, polished or faceted. Bubbles are not on the surface), the Surface is the texture, pitting, and erosion from nearly 14.5 million years. This varies piece to piece.
It is time to put the misinformation floating around the inter webs to bed. Take a rare look at this amazing stone, Moldavite in all its beauty. This is what the fakers can never reproduce. Again, Every stone is different and these are taken at high resolution under extreme magnification, you will not see much of this with the naked eye.
Sept 2016 - Another Large Fake tested by IVC at Colgate University Geology Department, Hamilton NY.
IVC has been featured in the June 2015 Crystal Resonance Magazine https://www.facebook.com/CrystalResonanceMagazine (Naisha Ashian / co-author of "The Book of Stones") with an edited version of this page in an Article on How to Spot Fake Moldavite, with pics and all. You can check out the June 2015 issue by registering for Free here and download the issue. This is a leading online publication for Energy Healing & Crystals, check it out https://vc222.customerhub.net/register
The Overwhelming amount of Fakes on ebay and other market places from China / Hong Kong, India & Thailand played a big part in why IVC stopped selling there as very little is done to block these fraudulent sellers. You should notice the wet / shiny melted glass look, they are changing this with some of the newer molds, using new methods to get that "rough texture" look. It is easy to tell the difference if you know what you are looking for. Many are the same shapes, "perfect", in all sizes, including BIGGER than the biggest real stones. Look at the pieces on this page and then compare with these real Moldavites.
Unfortunately I would recommend to Avoid dealers from China, India & Thailand online if their products look like the pieces on this page. Another clue is if its much cheaper than other dealers (though some are now charging top dollar for this fake stuff) Again, this is primarily being seen on sites like eBay & DHgate and even Amazon & Etsy.
Fake beads are selling at a fraction of the price and sometimes for full price - Notice there are NO inclusions, clean like glass even under loupe - sometimes they sneak a bubble in but if they are CLEAN, they are most likely fakes. Ebay & Etsy are loaded with these. Once of my business partners was in Hong Kong on business and sent me this photo of Fake stones in the market. Including fake Libyan Desert glass and "red" Moldavites.
High Quality Fake Facets coming out of Thailand with Certifications! Good Color but virtually flawless with none of the tell tale signs of Moldavite, all though some are starting to use glass material with bubble but the color is way off. These are all over ebay as well. This is why a certificate is really worthless and it comes down to education and finding a Trusted source. I saw this material in Tucson a few years ago when a well known Dealer from Thailand tried selling me a couple thousand dollars in large faceted stones. Its NEVER as flawless like these Glass ones & There are usually the tell tale swirls / bubbles / waves of some kind. Please use this page to educate yourself.
October 2014 - I walked up the street to Colgate University and met with the Geology Chairman , William Peck, to use a very cool piece of equipment. A hand held X-Ray Analyzer. We tested some authentic Moldavites and a couple fake pieces from Hong Kong. Here are the fakes, the bigger one is the one that goes with the scan pics of the Analyzer. Showing Very high Lead levels (Pb) and Much lower Silicon (Si) and other differences than real Moldavite.
These fakes were both scanned. It is only 48% SiO2, while real natural moldavite is in the range 72-80 wt%. It has undetectable or almost no Fe, Zr, or Ti, while some of those elements is always seen in natural moldavite. Al is also very low. The most interesting thing is that there is 24 wt% Pb, 1.8 wt% As, and 2900 ppm Cl in the fake piece, while there is almost none of these elements in the genuine moldavite. It also has 8.7 % K2O, which is about 3x the amount in the natural samples. The second fake is the cut one. It is totally different form the first fake. The SiO2 is similar to natural moldavite (77% SiO2), but has undetectable or almost no Fe, Zr, Ti, or K. Al is also very low. It doesn't have the Pb or As of the other fake, but does have high Cl (3800 ppm). - William Peck, Professor of Geology, Colgate University
There are several ways to tell if a Moldavite gemstone is fake. One way is to look for bubbles or inclusions. All real faceted Moldavite will have some bubbles and lechatelierite inclusions, the way only nature can create. If the gemstone appears to be flawless or clean like glass, it is probably fake. Another way to tell is to look at the surface texture, pitting, and erosion. Every piece of Moldavite is different and has unique texture. If the stone appears to have the same shapes and textures, or if it resembles pictures on a website, it is probably fake. Lastly, it is recommended to buy only from trusted sources and to avoid dealers from China, India, and Thailand online.
What is the significance of using a handheld X-Ray Analyzer to test for the authenticity of Moldavite gemstones?
Using a handheld X-Ray Analyzer is a useful tool to test for the authenticity of Moldavite. By analyzing the chemical composition of the stone, it is possible to determine if it is a fake or not. For example, a fake Moldavite stone will have much lower silicon and other differences than real Moldavite, and it will have very high lead levels. The analysis also shows that fake Moldavite stones have undetectable or almost no Fe, Zr, or Ti, while some of those elements are always seen in natural Moldavite. Therefore, using an X-Ray Analyzer is a reliable method for identifying fake Moldavite stones. It is important to note that Texture is a key factor, as Fakes coming out of India have been mixed in glass factories to mimic natural Moldavite and fall within certain ranges, I was emailed some Large Stones that were shown to pass scanning within range but they were fake, the texture and look was the tell tale sign.
What are some characteristics to look for in fake Moldavite stones?
Some characteristics to look for in fake Moldavite stones are if they appear to be the same shapes and textures, if they resemble the pictures on the page, if they all appear shiny or wet looking, and if faceted gemstones do not have bubbles or inclusions and appear flawless or clean like glass.
What is a distinguishing feature of real Faceted Moldavite?
A distinguishing feature of real Faceted Moldavite is that it will have some bubbles and lechatelierite inclusions, while fake faceted Moldavite will not.
Where can I ask questions about the authenticity of Moldavite?
If you cannot determine the authenticity of Moldavite, you can ask questions in various Moldavite groups on social media or send us a message. However, it is recommended to first look over the information provided on the page to educate yourself and avoid overwhelming groups with "is it fake" posts.
What should I avoid when buying Moldavite online?
It is recommended to avoid dealers from China, India, and Thailand online if their products look like the pieces on the page. Additionally, if the price seems much lower than other dealers, it is likely fake. Fake beads are selling at a fraction of the price and sometimes for full price.
What is a reliable certification for Moldavite?
This is why it is important to find a trusted seller & do your research. No one in the business supplies or pays for lab certifications for each Moldavite - it is not cost effective to do so. Many sellers provide a company COA, but this is why it is so important to find a seller who has been doing this for years, well before the Moldavite rush a couple years ago. There is so much false info online regarding Moldavite it would take another page to even begin.
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