Beads made from Moldavites

You have most likely come across these already. Bracelets, necklaces made from Moldavite beads. How does one establish their authenticity?

Production of Moldavite beads

Polishing round Moldavite beads is even more difficult than making typically shaped cuts. This is given by the Moldavite’s characteristics. Polishing is made more difficult because of the Moldavite’s rough corrugated surface and internal structure (mainly air bubbles). Before a perfectly rounded bead shape with no bubbles is attained, a lot of the material has to be polished down. To polish a 10mm stone a Moldavite of three times this size might be necessary. Sadly, an even worse ratio is not unheard of.

Price

The price of real Moldavite beads directly relates to the rarity of the material and work involved. Smaller beads will cost somewhere between 15 to 20USD per bead, larger beads start at $60 per bead (fall 2019 price of Moldavites keeps on rising).

Authenticity of Moldavite beads

Are you worried about the authenticity of the beads you are purchasing? You are right to worry. All in all, most faceted Moldavites are fakes. And the situation with Moldavite beads is even worse.

When establishing authenticity, the procedure is the same as with other cut gems. More information is available in this guide on How to tell the difference between fake and authentic Moldavites. A basic overview is available from this infographic on How to tell a faceted Moldavite is real.