Difference Between New and Old Dzi Beads
Imitation Dzi beads are created from materials other than agate or chalcedony. (Very important as all our Dzi beads are made of agate)
They can be made of glass, resin, lampwork, wood, bone, plastic, metal, or non-traditional etched stones.
Some people would also call the modern machine-carved and machine-drilled, highly polished new dzi (新天珠) "mock dzi."
Almost invariably mass-produced, the etching on these cheap beads has been done very quickly, and the decorations do not penetrate into the inner core of the bead.