Some moldavite pieces have brown streaks and take on a more mossy green appearance.
If your moldavite is faceted, meaning it is cut and polished like a diamond with flat sides and a pointed end, it will not have this grooved, rugged appearance. Look for other characteristics to determine if it’s real. [4] X Research source Researchers believe that water etched these grooves in the newly formed moldavite. [5] X Research source
Moldavite can be faceted like diamonds and other gems, but it is more common to find them unfaceted due to their unusual shape and texture. [8] X Research source
You will likely need a magnifying glass or microscope to see the bubbles within your moldavite.
You can place a suspected fake piece of moldavite under a UV light. If the piece appears to fluoresce or glow and takes on a yellow-green color, it’s a fake. [13] X Research source
Look through sellers’ moldavite inventory. Since they use molds to create synthetic moldavite, you will likely see the same moldavite shape and appearance even if the pieces are different sizes. [15] X Research source Some shops are creating more natural looking moldavite by mimicking how real moldavite’s grooves and ripples were etched. However, use a magnifying glass or microscope to look for grooves and ripples that are straight and evenly spaced which indicate that the moldavite is fake. [16] X Research source
