Yes indeed, China is indeed getting very inventive on attractive stone imitations. Check out the attached link for an excellent imitation of black onyx [itself usually a treated stone].

Frankly, if manufactured product looks as good or better than mined - or in some cases completely new and different from any "natural" material - I see no harm in producing it.

The harm comes from mis-representing something - remember the "strawberry quartz" thing? Made the stone pretty much declasse.

While I realize that different cultural attitudes are at play here, a lot of the value of gemstone materials depends upon their rarity. Synthetics just aren't rare, no matter how attractive and durable they may be. So they're worth pennies.

The way the blue color follows the fissures in the material, I would place my money on these beads being dyed. Next bet would be some sort of glass.

Someone in your area has a gemological microscope, Jamey - have them take a look at these.