A popular Moldavite retailer used to have a great article on spotting fake Moldavite that included some great examples. The website has since gone dark, but fortunately I was able to recover the article. The following is a verbatim reproduction of the "How to Spot Fake Moldavite" page from Harusami and Soul2Soul Treasures. The only changes I've made are removing the book links.
How to Spot Fake Moldavite
After spending one evening surfing through eBay, I was astonished at how many blatantly counterfeit pieces of glass and stone are presented as "genuine moldavite," many from Chinese or Thai vendors, but also from vendors in the USA. Granted, the Chinese are quite adept at creating fake or "reconstituted" gemstones by mixing powdered stones and resins and molding it. Most of the turquoiseBasically, it's a natural glass composed of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide and other metal oxides. It has a Mohs hardness rating is 5.5 - 6. The color ranges from a deep forest green to pale apple green, some are greenish brown. In rough form, it has a distinct rippled surface. It can be polished and faceted in jewelry, but unless it's of extremely rare gem quality, it will present inclusions of gas bubbles and other matter within the stone, this adds to it's appeal. you see these days is made in this process.
I felt a strong need to educate the public on how to spot fake or suspicious Moldavite. Here at Soul2Soul Treasures I only purchase my Moldavite pieces from two trusted vendors/designers who get their Moldavite directly from the Czech Republic. Robert Simmons is one of them, and he wrote the book Moldavite: Starborn Stone of Transformation that introduced this amazing gem to the general public back in 1988. My other trusted vendor is Claude who owns T.W. Moldavite. Claude has a collection of fake "moldavites" that he uses to educate buyers, most of it bought online, but there are plenty of fakes that are offered up for sale at major gem shows around the country.
Both Robert and Claude have personal stories of their own spiritual awakening attributed to this powerful stone. I was first introduced to Moldavite in 2003 while training in Reconnective Healing® by Dr. Eric Pearl. During one of his talks he mentioned this powerful, but somewhat homely green stone that someone had given him, that he carried in his pocket at all times. I was intrigued, and sought out this mysterious stone at the next New Age Trade Show in town. I've been hooked ever since!
First, let's discuss what true Moldavite is. "The Gem that fell to Earth," Moldavite is a tektite, the product of a meteor collision with the Earth nearly 15 million years ago. It is only found in what is now called the Moldau River valley in the Czech Republic. Moldavite is one of the rarest minerals on Earth and has been prized for thousands of years. Legends hold that Moldavite was the green stone in the Holy Grail, and has the power to quicken one's spiritual evolution.
Basically, it's a natural glass composed of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide and other metal oxides. It has a Mohs hardness rating is 5.5 - 6. The color ranges from a deep forest green to pale apple green, some are greenish brown. In rough form, it has a distinct rippled surface. It can be polished and faceted in jewelry, but unless it's of extremely rare gem quality, it will present inclusions of gas bubbles and other matter within the stone, this adds to it's appeal.
The best information I've found about the metaphysical and historic references to Moldavite can be found in this excerpt from Robert Simmons & Naisha Ahsian Book of Stones found here at his Heaven & Earth website.
As the scarcity and price of true Moldavite goes up, the counterfeiters are getting more adept at their craft. Some of the fakes are very convincing... especially when mounted in sterling silver where the tell-tale signs of seams are hidden. Some very crafty counterfeiters create a mold from an actual piece of fine Moldavite and replicate the color and texture to perfection... the only way to catch this is by noticing the "flawlessness" of the stone and the price asked. Granted, there are vendors demanding high prices for these fakes as you can see in the examples I have collected below.
Amazingly, there are stores proudly offering "Lab-created Moldavite," that's simply green glass! It doesn't contain the energetic qualities of true Moldavite. You really don't have to break the bank to own a genuine piece of Moldavite, whether as a specimen or in a piece of jewelry. The energetic qualities are just as powerful in a small, "imperfect" $5.00 specimen as it is in a $6000 museum grade piece. It truly saddens me to see all the fake "Moldavite" that is now on the market. Now for the examples...
Example #1
Let's start with the really, really bad. This piece looks like cake frosting or clay. It lacks the color, texture and translucence of real Moldavite. It was sold as "Elegant! Moldavite,blue topaz.925 Silver Pendant" on eBay for $10. 50 by a New York dealer.
Example #2
I've seen many of these obvious fakes on eBay listed as "genuine Moldavite" notice the jelly-like, glassy surface. At least one UK seller was honest enough to list a nearly identical ring as a "Created Moldavite." Which pretty much translates as "molded glass." The New York seller proclaimed this as genuine, untreated, natural Moldavite.
Example #3 & 4
Genuine Moldavite can be described as olive green to apple green... if it's the color of a 7-Up or Heineken bottle, it's most likely a melted down 7-Up or Heineken bottle. They've even gone so far as to replicate the tiny gas bubbles that you will see in real Moldavite. Others will offer "flawless" faceted Moldavite for ridiculously low prices. A real piece of "flawless" gem grade, faceted Moldavite certainly could not be bought for even 10 times the price of this "4.98Ct AMAZING RARE STUNNING FIRE FLASH GREEN MOLDAVITE" that sold for $20.53 on eBay from a seller from Orlando, Florida.
Or this piece from the same seller.
Example #5
This piece described as "23.75CT STUNNING OVAL TOP COLOUR GREEN RARE MOLDAVITE" sold for $79.00 to some poor sap on eBay. The seller from Bangkok, Thailand even posted that the stone originated from Africa. There is no such thing as "African Moldavite."
Example #6
This obvious fake was sold as "Moldavite Round Beads Stretch Bracelet 12mm RARE"
for $34.99 by a Hong Kong dealer. They have several auctions running selling these balls of glass or resin and asserting that they are guaranteed 100% genuine and authentic... yeah, I would guarantee that they are 100% phony.
Example #7
Now I'm getting into the "good" fakes... they have replicated the texture and colors amazingly... but there are tell-tale signs that can be spotted. At first glance, you'd think this was genuine Moldavite... but hmmm.... seams? Oh, and the Southern California dealer sold this piece for $21.50. At least the buyer can't shed too many tears for such a cheap scam.
Example #8
I have to classify this group of Moldavite as Highly Suspicious... this Bangkok seller offers amazingly flawless specimens that look too uniform in texture and color. Starting bids at $9.99 for pieces (if genuine) would go for $1000s. The texture is too uniform. I have to admit, these are very good fakes... but if you see a very similar piece being sold over and over again... it's a fake. No two pieces of Moldavite are alike, they are like snowflakes.
Many of the counterfeiters are incorporating their fakes into wire-wrapped jewelry, be very cautious in who you are buying from. These counterfeits are being sold at major gem shows to unsuspecting resellers and jewelry designers.
For people in the metaphysical arts and healing modalities, fake Moldavite is easy to spot when physically handled. True Moldavite has a unique, powerful "vibe" often called the "Moldavite Flush" that some have described as pulsating, tingling, dizzying, buzzing and such. Some feel lightheaded, some cannot handle the energy at all. For me, it's a bonus that I can feel the energy of the stones when offered at gem shows... and that is the reason I only buy from my two trusted dealers. When you buy a piece of Moldavite from Soul2Soul Treasures, you are guaranteed a genuine unadulterated piece of pure Moldavite.
Bright blessings!
Harusami
01/22/11
Updates
Here is another stunningly phony piece I acquired on eBay as a "Moldavite Diamond Cut 925 Sterling Silver Pendant" by a manufacturer in Hong Kong. Ironic that the seller had prominently posted this notice on his page:
"Buyers Beware!!!! Do Not be Fooled by some ebay sellers claiming their products are 925 Sterling Silver when they are not! They are selling 50% - 65% Silver Items or German Silver/ Paktong Silver MARKED as 925 Silver!!! Don't be taken for a ride with cheap prices ... when its too good to be true, it usually is a FAKE!!!"
The first thing you'll notice is that the stones are clear as glass... Well... that's because THEY ARE GLASS! The silver might be .925, but the "stones" are genuine phonies. You can see the flat, smooth surface on the back of these "gems." At least I only paid $10.20 in auction for this glass bauble. And it's a lovely example for my fake Moldavite collection. "Buyer Beware" indeed!
Many great examples of fake Moldavite, thanks to Soul2Soul Treasures for putting this together!