Tagged “identification”
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Testing a stone at home
The scratch test, the water test, the loupe and the kitchen scale — what each one actually establishes, and the much longer list of what none of them can.
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What bian stone is
Bian stone is a category name, not a mineral species. Understanding what it does and doesn't specify explains why the label tells you so little.
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How imitation stone is made
Dyeing, waxing, polymer impregnation, reconstitution, glass and resin — each is a different process, and each leaves a different trace behind.
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Nephrite, jadeite, and what jade means
Jade is two unrelated minerals with different compositions and hardnesses — plus a long list of trade names for things that are neither.