A Pictorial Guide to Moldavite and Its Imitations 

A simple guide to enlighten and educate, with two goals in mind. Firstly , to present Images of Moldavite , and Secondly to present Images of Imitation Moldavite.
I believe that studying Imitations is the firststep to becoming a competent buyer in this new world of illusion that often surrounds me.
I have been collecting and trading in Moldavite since 1992 , before I even knew what it really was , other that a Meteorite, several varieties of which I already had in my collection.   The first piece of Moldavite I obtained for my collection was a Wonder to behold and I was Hooked, what can I say , Moldavite has an Attraction very few Gemstones  possess.

                       
Some of my first Faceting trials ( 1993 )

I purchased another 100 Grams , and was disappointed that some of them were badly Chipped. To make the best of the situation I tried to Facet a chipped Moldavite. WOW  ! , was my reaction when I had completed the final Polish, removed and cleaned the finished piece from the dop stick. I immediately thought " why isn't Moldavite a common Gemstone ? "
Light flowed freely through the finished Gem.  It had Fire and Glint. A piece of the Sky, Astral Emerald , a Radiance of Purity.

More refined cutting as talents and technic improve (2002)

In 1992 , I tried to find more Information on Moldavite , but very little was available , books had very limited Information Available , and most photos were poor to say the least. The Internet was still in its Infancy, and a friend of mine in the Czech Republic was helpful , but not an Astronamer or Gemologist.
Over the last decade, more and more has been written , I have obtained specimens from different areas of the Czech Republic , and studied these in a vast variety of ways , cataloging the differences of the unique outer surface characteristics , Trying to make sense of the various shades and hues of GREEN , viewing polished inner areas under a Stereo-scopic Microscope , heating Moldavite in Glass Kilns to see if there were any effects produced through the process , and generaly trying to figure out the formation of different shapes.
I recognized the Inner Ocean of Waves and Winds in Moldavite , formed as the Meteorite fell through the atmosphere , and was melted and folded back into itself. The instant I saw them , I realized that , of course the inner form of a Meteorite would look this way.
The samples I inspected also contained Bubbles of Various sizes, upon further research , I learned this was a common characteristic of Moldavite , and these Bubbles are actually of a very low pressure similar to the atmospheric pressure found 20 to 25 miles above the Earths Surface.. A Specimen I cut ( above ) ,  clearly shows a Large Bubble , which actually Increased the Value of the finished Gemstone.. Larger atmospheric inclusions are Rare and highly prized for their Uniqueness.

Here are some Images of  Assorted Moldavites :
    

Unlike myself , most people will only ever buy a single piece of the Natural Wonder, and they want the real goods, Not some immitation cooked up in someones Backyard or sold Commercially as Immitation Moldavite, which is easily purchases over the internet .

BEWARE : Don't fall for misleading descriptions such as " Moldavite Quartz " , " Czech Moldavite Quartz " , " Mint Czech Moldavite " , " Apple Green Moldavite " and " Italian Moldavite Quartz " , there are no such things.
Moldavite comes exclusively from the Czech Republic , and is Not Quartz or associated with Quartz in any way.

My greatest disappointment has been in the last few years , as the price and rarity of Moldavite has increased , FORGERIES have become common place in the markets of the world. A recent trip to Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia ,  brought home the realization of just how many Imitations are being sold in the markets. Piles of Moldavites , in shades of Blue , Yellow and Teal were everywhere.
Below you will see some things to look for when considering purchasing a Moldavite.

Color tells its own story. This material is far to light and the outer texture is remanisant of a first run of Glass through my Rock Tumbler.

COLORING - Moldavite is Olive Green, and various shades and Hues in that general color spectrum. This Images is of an  Obvious Imitation.

TEXTURE - Some Moldavite is River Tumbled , but quite uncommon to find , Real Moldavite has a Crinkled texture , created by acids in the surrounding soils , that etch the surface of the Moldavite into Exquisite Patterns over Millions of years. These Images , again , are not looking to convincing to me.. Imitations...

AGAIN - Texture : This appears to be Broken Glass , and is sold as Moldavite , with a disclaimer that states samples have been sent to the GIA Labs for Identification , this same disclaimer has been used for the past several years by the same company , and I can guarantee you that GIA Labs would only take a few minutes to verify this Obvious material for what it really is, BUT the price is Low , and it looks pretty good to the untrained eye. Tons of this material are circulated through the world markets.

I will wrap up with one of my favorite pieces , from my own collection, I paid dearly for this Specimen , knowing full well it was nothing more than Blue Glass , but how is a person to know an Authentic item from a Forgery , unless they study both ?

Beautiful , I agree , just not what I paid for..

Treat yourself well , spend wisely , buying from a reputable dealers is a good start , buying from a knowledgeable dealers is also reassuring.
If you have any questions in regards to moldavite , you can find me at my  Ebay Store.

AAJEWELCOM  , WHERE WE QUARANTEE ALL THAT WE SELL.

Send me your questions , links or concerns , I can always find time to help another Gem Lover.

Authoured by : Brian S.     Jan 12 / 2008