Two-Thirds of Jewelry Fakes in Tests: Experts Warn Against Tourist Purchases
珠寶檢測三分之二為假貨 專家：旅遊淘真貨可能性不高
This article primarily focuses on how to avoid jewelry scams.
A senior citizen’s two mooncake boxes filled with “treasured” jewelry turned out to be mostly synthetic stones; a woman spent over ¥10,000 setting what she believed was a valuable ruby, only to discover it was worthless; a tourist bought a ¥5,000 beeswax bracelet during travels, which was actually plastic worth mere dozens of yuan…
珍藏多年的兩月餅盒珠寶大部分都非天然玉石；以為紅寶石就值錢還花了上萬元為其鑲嵌，卻發現是不值錢的紅寶石；旅遊花5000元購買的蜜蠟手鏈，實際是塑料做的，只值幾十元……
Experts caution consumers to avoid purchasing jewelry in tourist markets and abandon the mentality of “finding hidden bargains.” Instead, buy from reputable stores.
專家提醒，購買珠寶盡量不要在旅遊商場購買，也不要有撿漏的倖存心理，盡量到正規商場購買。
Shocking Cases from the Testing Center
檢測中心的驚人案例
Yang Yan, Director of the Guangdong Gold & Jewelry Testing Center, recently shared a memorable case: an elderly gentleman from Guangzhou brought two mooncake boxes containing dozens of jewelry pieces for testing. The result? Most were non-natural and virtually worthless.
廣東省金銀珠寶檢測中心主任楊燕昨日告訴記者，印象最深的是，廣州一阿伯前日拿著兩月餅盒裝著的幾十件珠寶過來檢測，結果大部分都不是天然的，不值錢。
The pieces were primarily jade types, purchased by the gentleman during trips or from street vendors. Some cost a few hundred yuan, while others reached several thousand. The two boxes represented an investment of tens of thousands of yuan.
據介紹，阿伯的珠寶以玉石類為主，都是阿伯旅遊購買或者從街邊淘回來的，有的花了幾百元，有的高達幾千元。兩大月餅盒的珠寶起碼花了阿伯幾萬元。
Yang noted that recently tested items—many submitted during free appraisal events—were mostly jade counterfeits. Common scams included selling dyed quartzite or marble as jadeite.
楊燕介紹說，這幾天拿來免費檢測的以玉石為多，很多都是以次充好，以假冒真。有染色石英岩、大理石當翡翠賣的。
The value gap between Type A (natural) jade and Type B (bleached, resin-filled) or Type C (dyed) jade is astronomical. For example, “Spring With Color” jadeite, if natural, can be worth millions of yuan, while dyed versions may only be valued at a few hundred yuan.
據楊燕介紹，玉石A貨（天然）的價值與B貨相差天和地。B貨是指人工漂白、注膠等，甚至有染色的，更被稱為C貨。最惡劣的是拿B貨、C貨冒充A貨賣，就拿春帶彩來說，如果是A貨，就要數十萬元的價格，甚至是過百萬，而如果是C貨，頂多幾百元。
Sophisticated Counterfeiting Techniques
高超的造假技術
Jade forgery methods have become so advanced that even experts can be deceived. One jade dealer spent tens of thousands of yuan on two “high-quality ice jade Guanyin pendants” in Sihui, only to find they were Type B jade, worth merely a few hundred yuan.
楊燕還告訴記者，如今玉石造假手段相當高明，甚至連行家都會看走眼。一做玉器的行家，在四會花了幾萬元淘了兩件冰種觀音回來，用儀器檢測發現竟是B貨，實際價值就幾百元。(Avoid jewelry scams)
In another case, Ms. Lin brought a ruby necklace with a “ruby pendant” certificate for appraisal. Although genuine, the stone was of the lowest grade, making it nearly worthless. She had already spent over ¥10,000 setting it with diamonds—a loss she couldn’t recover.
在採訪中，林小姐拿著一紅寶石項鏈前來檢測，該項鏈還配有檢測證書，寫著「紅寶石吊墜」，林小姐說想看看寶石的價值。結果現場工作人員一看，就表示，雖然是紅寶石，但是是最差的等級，並不值錢。林小姐一聽心疼不已，因為前不久拿到檢測報告後，以為是紅寶石很值錢，還花了1萬多元給寶石做了碎鑽鑲嵌，如今這塊石頭連鑲嵌的價值都不如，「1萬多元算是白花了。」林小姐嘆道。
Yang explained that colored gems, like jade, have no official grading system in China—only authenticity is certified. Market-driven quality differences can create price gaps of hundreds or thousands of times.
楊燕表示，彩寶與玉石一樣，在國內沒有等級之分，國標只有真假之分，而等級只能由市場決定，等級不同的價格差別可以達到百倍千倍。
New Threats: Hidden Treatments and Synthetic Diamonds
新威脅：隱蔽處理與合成鑽石
Yang highlighted risks with pre-set jewelry: craftsmanship can hide flaws or even treatment traces. One gemstone had a treated base concealed by a platinum setting, undetectable until removed. For large or expensive stones, she advises requesting loose-stone certificates.
楊燕特別提到，鑲嵌好的珠寶，可以利用工藝將寶石的瑕疵遮擋，甚至隱蔽處理過的痕跡。「曾檢測過一寶石，底部是有貼膜的，而且是被鑲嵌的鉑金遮擋了，根本檢測不出來。後來將寶石取出，才發現底部是處理過的。不過一般的鑲嵌珠寶並不適合隨意取下原石，因此，如果購買大顆粒、貴重的寶石，建議商家提供裸石檢測證書(Avoid jewelry scams)。
A new concern is CVD synthetic diamonds, which have nearly identical physical properties to natural diamonds and are indistinguishable by eye or experience. These synthetics are often mixed with natural diamonds, especially melee stones, deceiving both consumers and professionals.
另一主要珠寶品類鑽石，更是出現造假新手段。楊燕介紹說，今年鑽石市場開始出現了一種CVD的合成鑽石，所有的物理性質與天然鑽石幾乎是一樣的，肉眼或經驗都難辨真假。這種合成鑽石大多摻雜在天然鑽石中出售，特別是碎鑽。不僅消費者受騙，甚至還困擾了業內人士，碎鑽難以每一顆都檢測。
Amber and Beeswax: Plastic Fakes
琥珀與蜜蠟：塑料仿品
Even lower-priced items like amber and beeswax are widely counterfeited. Ms. Chen purchased a ¥5,000 beeswax bracelet in Taiwan, which testing revealed to be plastic worth under ¥100.
除了貴價珠寶，其實較為便宜的一些品種同樣有造假現象。在現場，市民陳小姐拿著一串蜜蠟手鏈，據稱是在台灣旅遊時購買的，花了5000多元，但是檢測人員一測，卻發現是用塑料假冒的，成本價就幾十元。
Yang recalled a recent exhibition at a Guangzhou department store where vendors claimed to be polishing amber on-site—the material was clearly plastic. “The market is flooded with fake amber and beeswax. Especially with insect-inclusion amber, be cautious—genuine pieces are extremely rare and valuable.”
楊燕還回憶道，幾個月前，在廣州某知名百貨商店門口舉辦的展銷會上，就有檔口自稱是現場打磨琥珀球，拿起來一看就是塑料的。「現在市場上琥珀蜜蠟造假的非常多，特別是有裡面蟲子的琥珀，更要謹慎，因為這種真貨是相當罕見，也很珍貴的。」
Expert Tips for Safe Purchases
專家安全購買建議
How can consumers avoid scams? Yang Yan strongly advises against tourist market purchases and emphasizes basic jewelry knowledge.
消費者該如何購買放心珠寶呢？楊燕特別提醒，旅遊市場淘到真貨的可能性很低，而對珠寶價值沒有基本認識的人也容易買到假貨。
- Ideal: Purchase directly from factories with trusted guidance.
最佳選擇：有熟人指引到工廠購買最好。 - Practical: Buy from reputable malls for authenticity and after-sales service.
現實選擇：建議購買珠寶一定要到正規商場，即便是沒有價格優勢，但是勝在品牌及售後。 - Online/Friend Sales: Verify sources and request inspection certificates.
網店/朋友圈銷售：如果賣家是朋友，也要確認其貨源，最好要求賣方出示檢測證書。 - Knowledge is Key: Understand basic value ranges. “Spending thousands for something worth millions usually indicates a scam. The chance of ‘finding a bargain’ is slim.”
必備知識：包括價位等，不能蒙查查。「如果花幾萬元買原本價值幾十萬元的東西，假貨的可能性很大，撿漏的可能性很小。」楊燕強調，購買珠寶不要有撿漏的倖存心理。
Bonus Tip: Seasonal sales at reputable stores often offer better value than suspicious “bargains.”
額外建議：正規商場打折購買划算，性價比高於可疑的「撿漏」商品。(Avoid jewelry scams)
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