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Fakes & FraudsAmazing fake tourmalines

28th Mar 2024 23:23 UTCMike Stott

Hats off to whomever created these, there is definitely some entertainment value here. Being sold out of Romania, claimed to be from Pakistan. Only asking $10k for the lot of 5, other videos in comments.

28th Mar 2024 23:24 UTCMike Stott

Second piece

28th Mar 2024 23:24 UTCMike Stott

Third one

28th Mar 2024 23:25 UTCMike Stott

Forth piece

28th Mar 2024 23:25 UTCMike Stott

Last one

29th Mar 2024 06:48 UTCA. A. Faller

The second one made me laugh out loud, and the third one is absolutely hysterical!

*Unless some poor schlub actually buys them*

Then, not funny at all.

28th Mar 2024 23:40 UTCRuss Rizzo Expert

Looks like plastic. Someone tried to pass plastic rods off as aquamarine 10-15 years ago.

28th Mar 2024 23:46 UTCtodd Van Duren

Presumably, the multi-color, hexagonal prisms that look like beryl are supposed to be the tourmaline. What are they claiming the prehnite colored clusters to be?

28th Mar 2024 23:53 UTCKevin Conroy Manager

I think that they're asking $9995 too much.

29th Mar 2024 00:08 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

Who is selling these?

29th Mar 2024 00:30 UTCMike Stott

A seller in Romania who has sold fake golds in the past, but also has some amazing Romanian material.

29th Mar 2024 04:32 UTCSteve Hardinger 🌟 Expert

And what is the name of this seller? His (her) website?

29th Mar 2024 07:35 UTCRuss Rizzo Expert

Who is selling these?

Tried a reverse-image search... came up with nothing.

29th Mar 2024 07:50 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

Steve Hardinger 🌟 Expert ✉️

And what is the name of this seller? His (her) website?

I don't think Mindat should be giving that seller any free advertising.

29th Mar 2024 00:12 UTCSteve Ewens

Too funny!

29th Mar 2024 01:37 UTCGreg Dainty

He has obviously had a very productive winter!

29th Mar 2024 02:23 UTCLalith Aditya Senthil Kumar

Very cool! The multiple-zoned crystals bring us farther from nature every time we see them.

29th Mar 2024 12:10 UTCEd Clopton 🌟 Expert

The third one could be a centerpiece for a 1950s-60s Tiki-themed lounge.

Definitely don't name the perpetrator of these sculptures. We'll all know the pieces when we see them--maybe at Goodwill thrift stores!

29th Mar 2024 15:10 UTCThe Evje og Hornnes geomuseum, Fennefoss Expert

From my time at European mineralshows (1980-1992) I remember Romanian dealers had some reputation for cleverly forging several types of mineral specimens, notably all kinds of creative Cavnic specimens, with for instance quartz, stibnite neatly glued on some base of dolomite. I also recall some fake realgar specimens. Irradiated barytes. Some of them required a lot of inspection to actually recognize them as fakes. However, these are made with the mindset of Walt Disney or the Flintstones...

Ron Werner

30th Mar 2024 00:58 UTCJake Harper Expert

I want one for my fakes and synthetics sub-collection! Wonder if they'd take $10 bucks for that first one.

30th Mar 2024 02:13 UTCMike Stott

I asked about that for simlar reasons Jake! The price came down to half, but no lower :(

30th Mar 2024 03:43 UTCLouis Chang

A fakes collection? That sounds like an awesome idea. You have photos anywhere? I have a Moroccan wire silver i’m reasonably sure is fake. Might start a collection myself.

31st Mar 2024 03:51 UTCThierry Bigo

Amazing, it’s beyond what we have seen before. Unfortunately it’s too much 🤡

15th Apr 2024 00:04 UTCRick Dalrymple Expert

I've bought fakes (both intentionally and because I was fooled). Intentionally, I have bought fakes for a couple of reasons. One was because I knew the economics of the locals when I was in Korea. I bought fake gemstones (I think they are just acrylic) because the people were so poor. And at a $1 or $5 each, I could afford it. I have also bought fakes to build a suite of fakes for demonstration purposes.

These tourmalines are just over the top and while I can be a nice guy, I'm not forking out any real currency for these. However, if I can buy one for a few hundred dollars in Monopoly money, I'm all in.

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