Without highly specialized equipment, detecting a true ancient dZi can be expensive and difficult at best. Tiger Tiger has been handling dZi beads for over 30 years, and experience more than anything tells the tale.
Know the beads or know the seller.
I’ve seen many online ‘guides’ on how to tell a real ancient bead from a new bead, but I believe the best way to learn about dZi beads is to handle them. Still, there are ways that the online buyer can can at least tell the real sellers, from the charlatans. Common sense can substitute for expertise in many cases:
Perceived Value.
Does it cost $69.95? This should be obvious. A decade ago, even a broken dZi bead would sell for over a hundred dollars. Today, that price is closer to $600 for broken ‘true’ dZi beads, and at least a few hundred for Chung dZi.
