The amber imitation pieces have yet to be drilled. Which I thought was strange when I handled them. They are plastic and have been darkened to give a look of age. They don't look very convincing to me but I like them anyway. I have seen these 'darkened' pieces available in Nepal for at least 5 years. They are more in keeping with the large amber pieces Tibetans use in a headress or hair adornment.

I am not an expert on the materials used in these beads. However, some of them are the usual dyed bamboo coral. There are also plastic pieces and beads made from other hard materials that give an 'almost authentic' appearance. However, the colour and feel is never quite right in my opinion. If you know the real stuff from the fakes it is still easy to tell the difference.

Some of the turquoise pieces can also be convincing. They seem to have got better in the last couple of years. The best are said to be made from 'turquoise powder'. Whether this is true I do not know but this is what most traders rattle off when you ask them. I'm inclined to believe that other materials are being used. I have broken a few of these beads (with difficulty) to know that the colour doesn't always carry deep into the bead. Although imitation turquoise beads usually have a striking colour they still fall short of looking natural to me. Some beads even come in a 'free form' shape with black matrix to give the appearance of a genuine stone.

There seem to be many more Chinese beads flooding the markets in the Tibetan settlements these days. They are very cheap and Tibetans seem not to mind. In fact I'm sure they are delighted to have affordable beads. It seems that most of the beads worn out and about by Tibetans these days are modern Chinese or Taiwanese replicas. I think this will make it very difficult for newcomers to tell the difference between old and new in the years to come.

All the best,

James