Have you noticed that the number of fake agarwood prayer beads has been increasing? You have been looking for genuine agarwood beads, but feel confused and don’t know where to find them. Perhaps you invested in one in the past but were ultimately disappointed. You have been deceived several times, and now you don’t know whom to trust. Be cautious of agarwood beads sold at low prices, because genuine agarwood products are usually more expensive due to their quality and rarity.

What is cheap? For example, agarwood priced at $200 in advertisements, or a high-quality resin-dense agarwood bracelet for $20.

Why should I tell you this news?

I understand how you feel. Your confidence has collapsed. You are tired of filing claims through PayPal or credit card providers, which can take months to resolve. Would it help if I told you what to watch out for so that you can at least minimize the trouble? Of course, if you encounter an unethical agarwood seller with the intention to deceive, they will cheat, and their ability to cheat is increasingly sophisticated. However, the following principles will help you in the ‘preliminary’ process (checking, smelling, and observing before investing in suitable agarwood bracelets/rosaries). Let me walk you through some steps.

Recently, one of our customers found a black bracelet and was told that what he was buying was a high-resin agarwood bracelet. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a fake agarwood bracelet, highlighting the prevalence of such counterfeits in the market.

After a few rounds of quotes, he took the bracelet home and asked us to verify it. We did not mention the price and simply began our process:

1) Understanding Agarwood Prayer Beads
What are agarwood prayer beads?

Agarwood beads are small spherical items made from the resinous wood of the agarwood tree. This unique wood is produced when the tree is infected by a specific type of fungus, resulting in an aromatic resin. Agarwood beads are highly valued for their distinctive fragrance and are often used in making jewelry such as bracelets and necklaces. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, agarwood is prized in traditional medicine, incense, and perfumes for its unique properties.

Types of Agarwood Beads

Speaking of agarwood beads, there are several types to be aware of, each with its own characteristics and value. Natural agarwood beads come from wild agarwood trees and are considered the most precious and rare due to their limited quantity. On the other hand, artificially cultivated agarwood beads come from man-made plantations. These beads are more sustainable and affordable, making them a popular choice for many people. Finally, imitation agarwood beads are usually made from other types of wood or synthetic materials, designed to mimic the appearance and scent of real agarwood. These fake beads are often used to deceive consumers, so knowing how to identify them is crucial.

1) Agarwood Smell and appearance

Agarwood beads are renowned for their unique and captivating fragrance, often described as earthy, woody, and slightlysweet. This distinctive smellis due to the presence of agarwood oil, a natural oil produced by the Aquilaria tree. Theappearance of agarwood beads can vary, but they are typically dark brown or black with a smooth, glossy texture. Thecombination of their unique scent and appearance makes agarwood beads highly sought after in various cultures andindustries.

The value of agarwood beads depends on the resin (the more resin, the higher the price), because agarwood beads may take decades to form. These agarwood beads are usually very old and their scent can be detected at room temperature.

(Moreover, its material is not sufficient to make beads). Below are pictures of cultivated and wild agarwood logs: Agarwood logs: there are some white fibers around, and some dark resin parts, which take years or even decades to form. Therefore, it is unwise to use it to make beads.

Cultivated Agarwood

We cut these logs and divide them into smaller square bead sizes, then file them smooth and polish them.

The part with the highest resin content is taken out to make beads, leaving behind the less valuable ‘frame,’ as shown below.

From the above logs, no part is 100% black or brown, so the agarwood beads are the same. Any bead with a solid color is infused with agarwood oil and other spices to produce a pleasant fragrance; therefore, its value is not high.

Below is white wood, which has less infection compared to resin beads. Please look at the pattern.

2) Resin

Boil the water, quickly submerge a bead into it in 30 seconds and observe. If the water starts changing its colour slightly (ifyou boiled any wood, the water texture would change anyway), that is fine,

By contrast, if you saw cloudy stuff formed around the bead, it would mean this bead was tampered.

Melted substance (mainly mix with oil and other unknown substance)

oil-injected Aquilaria Crassna using high pressure, no shiny vein is detected

Sometimes, Agarwood beads are made with healthy Aquilaria tree which has no resin. Beads made from this log are usually
white in colour.

Then they are put inside a pressure cooker to force the oil inside the beads

3) Under microscope or magnifier

The bead below shows moderate resin (agarwood) without any artificial dying colour/agent. The pattern is natural and
random.

Genuine agarwood beads should look similar or better (with more “resin line). Any solid colour beads have tampered with
the dying agent might not be real agarwood as this act ruined the fragrance of it.

For high-grade agarwood beads, watch out for tricks like lead or iron injection into beads to increase weight.

(picture above shows an attempt to deceive the weight by iron insertion for sinking grade).

P/S

are used frequently. Here is an example:
Online sellers often claim that their beads are NATURAL, GENUINE beads, terms like “black agarwood/ eaglewood” rare

1. The pattern is not visible, but the color is pure. Agarwood is infected wood and will display random ‘patterns’.

2. From a distance, you can smell the wafting fragrance, indicating that “fragrance” has already been infused. In this case, the fragrance is a mixture of spices and agarwood oil.

3. Weighs more than 35 grams, sinks underwater, and costs less than $1000. The reason the bracelet sinks is not the resin, but another reason.

4. It might not be agarwood at all, but just any wood injected with oil to create agarwood scent.

More example:

More agarwood beads claimed, but they turn out the counterfeit item

Too black and shiny, and heavy feel. There is limited grain (pattern or infected area)

The below image confirmed it is non-agarwood beads as it is dyed with colour.

Please compare to the genuine beads below.

4) Pattern

We are very proud to carry on this business from our grandparents hence never supplied an inferior product if in doubt.

Here is the most popular pattern of agarwood beads, by learning the genuine one, you could tell the counterfeit apart. The
below was sold at circa $1200 AUD.

For example, please see the below beads, it shows that bead pattern is made from the young or early infected area,

5) Characteristics of Genuine Agarwood Prayer Beads

To identify genuine agarwood beads, you need to pay attention to several key characteristics, which can distinguish them from fakes. The following are some basic features of genuine agarwood beads:

• Unique Fragrance: Genuine agarwood beads have a pleasant and unique aroma due to the presence of agarwood oil. Please note, it is a subtle scent.
• Color and Texture: Real beads are usually dark brown or black, with a smooth and glossy surface. Young agarwood beads are yellow-brown. Please note that the beads should not be pure black or brown. You should be able to see the texture or pattern of the real wood.
• Natural patterns: These beads display unique and natural patterns, which are the result of tree growth and resin formation.
• Certification: This is not a standard. Unlike gemstones or other goods, where you can look for certification or documents from well-known organizations like the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or agarwood associations to verify authenticity, unfortunately, agarwood does not have such an organization to provide certification. Sometimes, sellers will issue such certificates themselves. This is not a reliable method.
• Although fake agarwood beads sometimes imitate these characteristics, they are often of lower quality and authenticity. Understanding these features can help you make informed decisions and avoid being deceived by counterfeit products.
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