People often struggle to determine whether a rudraksha is authentic. Some tests exist to ascertain this fact – if the stone sinks in water, then it is accurate, while if it floats, then it could be fake.
These tests can be misleading and should not be used to identify Rudraksha beads. Instead, one should conduct scientific procedures such as X-ray or CT scanning in order to correctly identify this gem.
X-Ray
Rudraksha is a multifaceted dried seed from Elaeocarpus Tuberculatus trees grown in Nepal and Sri Lanka, prized for its spiritual significance. To ensure quality purchases, people are advised to undergo proper microscopic inspection as well as X-ray or CT scanning on any Rudraksha they buy; however, these tests can be costly or not possible for everyone, leading them to use one mukhi rudrakshas, which consist of of of of one bead with natural holes at its center instead. Unfortunately, this makes it unscrupulous traders who manufacture fake mukhi Rudrakshas and then sell them at high prices.
X-ray testing is the most accurate way of checking for the number of mukhis in a rudraksha bead without damaging it. This method works well up to nine mukhis and can be relatively inexpensive; however, for beads with more mukhis (i.e., 10), its accuracy cannot be trusted because the individual seeds cannot be seen on an x-ray image due to being too small for display on this medium.
People often follow various other ‘tests’ for authenticating rudrakshas that people employ, such as placing it between two copper coins to check whether it rotates, which is an inaccurate way of measuring genuineness since any round object will alternate between these coins regardless of size. Others claim an authentic rudraksha will float in water or sink in milk. However, these criteria don’t adequately identify genuineness; beads oiled or saturated with oil dissolved into water will flow, while those coated with protective mud paint to shield from insects will change color after contact with liquid milk.
CT Scanning
Fake Rudraksha sellers take advantage of unsuspecting buyers by selling spurious seeds such as betel nuts and wild berries as genuine Rudraksha beads. People should avoid such counterfeit drips and instead look for nachos or faces of the Rudraksha that feature deep partitions with closed lips. A magnifying glass makes this easy.
Another famous test is the water test, which claims that authentic Rudraksha beads will sink while fake ones will float in water. Unfortunately, this test can give highly inaccurate results as various factors such as the age of the dot, its density, and moisture content all impact if it floats or sinks; for instance, a dry rudraksha that has been kept in its collection box for an extended period may float while an oiled bead recently plucked may sink instead.
Milk changing color test is another widely used technique to identify counterfeit rudrakshas. To perform it, place the Rudraksha in a jar of milk and observe its color altering over time – however, this test can also be conducted using any bead, including clay-coated ones, which will produce similar results in milk.
Copper coin tests provide another means of verifying whether or not a Rudraksha is genuine since a real Rudraksha will rotate between two copper coins due to its electromagnetic properties. Unfortunately, however, this test cannot provide definitive answers since its results can easily be altered by simply rubbing beads between them.
Copper Coin Test
Rudraksha beads are widely considered one of nature’s divine gifts to humanity, offering protection from worldly evils while offering spiritual enhancement. Unfortunately, some fraudsters are taking advantage of its popularity by selling fake ones at unwitting customers’ doorsteps.
There are various tests used to verify if a rudraksha is authentic or not, with the copper coin test being one of the most frequently employed. Here, a rudraksha is placed between two copper coins and rotated – as per popular belief, it will turn due to magnetic properties if it was genuine; however, this claim may be misleading; any object with magnetic properties would spin when placed between two copper coins.
Another famous test involves submerging a rudraksha in water and seeing whether or not it floats, with claims that genuine pieces will sink to the bottom while counterfeit ones float to the top. Unfortunately, this statement cannot be true since water’s specific gravity equals one; anything heavier than water will sink to its depths.
Newly plucked rudrakshas may contain moisture and will sink when placed into water, while fake ones, often made of betel nuts and berries, may float instead. Therefore, these tests cannot be relied upon as reliable tools for authenticating rudrakshas; laboratory or x-ray testing are more accurate methods. Furthermore, buyers should avoid sellers advertising multiple mukhi rudrakshas; they are highly likely to be counterfeit.
Water Test
Rudraksha beads are sacred beads believed to bring prosperity, fame, and wealth to those who wear them. Film stars and business tycoons alike often favor it; its spiritual benefits extend far beyond its spiritual gifts as it protects from worldly troubles as well. Unfortunately, some vendors have begun selling fake Rudraksha beads; to defend yourself against being duped, there are specific tests you can perform that will help verify if you’ve purchased authentic Rudrakshas or not.
One of the easiest methods of testing Rudraksha beads is dropping them in water and seeing whether or not they sink or float, though this approach has several limitations and cannot guarantee their authenticity. Furthermore, the specific gravity of water varies with temperature, so a rudraksha bead may sink when in hot water but float otherwise in cold water environments.
One effective method to test for authenticity in Rudrakshas beads is their color. A genuine Rudraksha will feature natural, unchanging hues that won’t fade over time; by contrast, counterfeit Rudrakshas may display artificial and dull tones that could easily pass for authentic beads.
When gripped with a copper coin at both ends, observe the rotation of a Rudraksha when observed for the cycle. A genuine Rudraksha will constantly rotate while fake ones do not; this is because real Rudrakshas have lines (mukhs) on their mountain portion, whereas fake ones usually feature them on their valley portion – easily detectable by an expert. If a Rudraksha does not rotate when put through this test, it must definitely be fake!
Mud Test
Many people employ the Mud Test as a means of verifying whether their rudraksha is genuine. According to these claims, an authentic one-mukhi rudraksha should rotate when worn and bring prosperity, fame, and riches, but this claim is untrue and has no scientific basis – in fact, it is used by cheats and frauds to fool unsuspecting buyers. Others suggest that placing it in hot water or milk will cause its color to change – this claim also cannot be proven as this test can also happen with fake beads coated by farmers to protect them against insects!
Common belief holds that placing the Rudraksha between two copper coins will cause it to rotate; this is incorrect, as any round object with protrusions would do just as well; furthermore, an x-ray test can easily be falsified using fake beads coated in plastic to appear like real ones.
Some may also mistakenly believe that an authentic Rudraksha should sink in water, which is also not correct. A fully ripened Rudraksha weighs more than water and will therefore sink; however, counterfeit beads made by tempering real ones, such as 2 and 3 mukhi types with other readily available real ones, will float regardless of its weight, so using water testing alone to verify whether a Rudraksha is genuine should not be done – however one with air trapped within may float because there will still be air trapped inside, while it will flow regardless – however, this test should not be used alone to prove the authenticity of any Rudraksha; only air trapped inside will float when testing non fully mature Rudrakshas may float – therefore using water test should not be used as proof either; but rather when trying under-ripe conditions will flow because there will still be air trapped within.
