Moldavite

Genuine vs Fake Moldavite

moldavite

Buyer be aware! As Moldavite’s value grows, so has the market for fake counterfeits.  There is a limited supply of this high vibrational gemstone.

I’ve been buying and selling Moldavite for almost 30 years. In my opinion it is one of the most important stones to have for anyone seriously working with the healing vibration of crystals and gemstones.

Several years ago I was put on alert from my reputable Moldavite dealers that Moldavite was becoming harder and harder to get. I started watching the wholesale price climb. But little did I realize that Moldavite would quadruple in price in just one year!

The first fakes that came on the market are sometimes called ‘African Moldavite’.  Beware if you see this term. Moldavite has NOT been found anywhere besides the Czech Republic.

This fake has a bright green color similar to bottle glass. This imitation is easy to spot because it is very uniform in its bright green color and very clear. This type of rough Moldavite is often used by scammers to facet into fake Moldavite gemstones.

Over the past several years, increasingly higher quality fakes have been coming out of China where they are exported the world over. Fortunately, they can still be easy to spot to the well-trained eye. But without years of experience identifying real Moldavite, the best is to buy stones only from trusted sources. Only purchase Czech Moldavite.

moldavite pendant
moldavite

How to Identify a FAKE

It is helpful to view Moldavite under a jeweler’s loop. The stone should show characteristic bubbles. You will see flow texture as well as distinct wisps of lechatelierite which is a high temperature form of Silicone Oxide which became part of the structure of virtually all Moldavites when it was formed.

In cut or polished Moldavite look for the internal fluvial structure to be even more visible. When looking at Moldavite under a microscope, even the cleanest stones will always show a variable of micro and submicroscopic bubbles, fluvial wave form and fibers of lechatelierite. 

Under a loop, the textures of fake Moldavite will appear both too glossy, and overly matte compared to real Moldavite. The counterfeiters use a combination of acids to try and imitate the variation of real Moldavites.

Fake Moldavite is most often created in a lab using molds, so look for fakes that look identical to one another. No two Moldavite gemstones will ever look exactly alike.   

Another sign of fake Moldavite is their high transparency. Without the bubbles, flow form and subtle variations of color, fake moldavite appears too glassy and transparent. The colors will also be uniform without much variation. 

The price of genuine Moldavite has sky rocketed. This might put many of us out of the market for this most important stone. I’ll continue searching my sources for new raw pieces, looking for the best prices I can find. The days of $5 and even $10 per gram are over. We are now looking at carat prices, just like Emeralds, Rubies and other fine precious gemstones.

For all of you who have Moldavite, hold onto it. You’ve made a smart financial investment and well as a connection to a powerful crystal ally.

All the photos you see here are Moldavite from my private collection or stones that have sold.

To view Moldavite for sale click this link

Credit: Arkadia Gemstones

Moldavite