| Original Message: HOW do you tell the difference? |
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Hi Paula, Are you saying that with Pema's fake beads and the Carlsson authentic beads right in front of you, you cannot see a difference? In my eyes, the differences are so distinct, I do not believe I could mistake one for the other. On the other hand, about fifteen years ago (+ or -), the Chinese began to make reproductions of the standard "potato-shaped" or "baroque" beads, USING agate that must come from the same source as the original beads (that I believe are also Chinese beads). The material is the same color tone—tending toward burnt orange—but now tending toward a more translucent diaphaneity, with more obvious layering or convolutions. These beads are more authentic-looking than either Indian beads or the more recent Chinese beads based on colored Brazilian agate. However, the drilling is very different, and tells the tale. I have posted all this several times in the past, here and elsewhere. I'd repost the helpful photo of my old and new beads..., but since I'm in S CA working from my laptop, that photo is not at hand. But I'll try to post it early next week when I return home. (I'll also take a look at the gallery archives here, in case it's findable.) Jamey All rights reserved by Bead Collector Network and its users |
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