How to Spot Real vs Fake Moldavite
Fakes are everywhere. Most are green glass, often molded to imitate natural etching. No single test is perfect, so combine several.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Genuine Moldavite | Typical fake |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Muted bottle, olive or forest green; may vary within a piece | Uniform vivid emerald, lime or "apple green" |
| Bubbles | Irregular, elongated or distorted | Perfectly round, often in neat rows |
| Inclusions | Lechatelierite "worms", swirls | Clean or uniform; seed bubbles only |
| Surface | Natural, varied etching; every piece unique | Repetitive patterns, molded look, seam lines |
| Luster | Slightly matte on etched surfaces | Wet-looking, glossy all over |
| Specific gravity | About 2.32–2.38 | Often 2.45–2.6 for common glass |
| Price | Rarely under $14/g genuine | Under $10/g, often cents per gram |
| Description | Weight in grams and Czech locality stated | "Meteorite", no weight, "AAA+++", bulk carat lots |
Tests you can do at home
1. Backlight inspection
Hold the stone to a strong light or phone torch. Look for swirls, irregular bubbles and thread-like lechatelierite with a 10× loupe.
2. Hydrostatic density test
Weigh the stone dry (A), then suspended in water (B). Specific gravity = A ÷ (A − B). Genuine Moldavite is about 2.32–2.38. You need a scale accurate to 0.01 g.
3. Texture check
Natural etching is irregular and varies across the stone. Repeated identical "hedgehog" spikes across many listings suggest molds.
4. Price and seller check
Compare $/g to our price bands. Ask where the stone was found; honest sellers answer quickly and specifically.
Red flags
- Price below about $10/g; anything near $1/g is almost certainly glass.
- $0.99-start auctions, multi-piece "chip lots", weights given only in carats.
- Shipping from China or Hong Kong, or listings in bulk kilograms.
- The word "meteorite" (Moldavite is a tektite).
- Printed "certificates" with no traceable lab; a certificate is not proof.
- Sellers who avoid provenance questions.
What about lab testing?
Gemological labs can confirm Moldavite with refractive index, specific gravity, magnification and chemical analysis. For expensive collector or Besednice pieces, independent testing is worth the cost.