Fake Rudraksha Beads
Fake Rudraksha Beads

In the interest of consumer protection and public education Rudra Center presents these pictures of Counterfeit rudraksha beads that have been purchased in the past and kept. These beads are sold in large quantities in India and outside by unscrupulous people taking advantage of the craze of the customers to procure them . The typical price at which they are sold ranges from $100 to $50,000. Rudra Centre does not trade in round one mukhis as they are not available at all . Even if you buy them for several 1000 dollars or from any ashrams or any reliable person , it would not be genuine as it has never been produced till date by any Tree in Nepal or Indonesia. It advices the people to not go in search for this Rudraksha , just because it is rare. Half moon 1 mukhi is available easily as a low cost substitute . Hence it is sold at low price from Rudra Centre although there are people who sell this same bead for price as much as $1100 . For 1 mukhi round enquiries , we sell 1 mukhi from Java which exhibits similar properties as glorified for One mukhi in Puranas.

Rudra Center offers a free Authentication Service where there might be reasonable doubt regarding authenticity for any Rudraksha Beads purchased anywhere in the world. For this service the client pays shipping both ways to Rudra Center. Another method of Authentication can take place by scanning Beads at high resolution and sending scanned pictures to Rudra Centre, India by email at rudracentre@gmail.com with subject line “ Authentication required “.
Most Commonly found Fake One Mukhis  in market
Fake One Mukhi Rudraksha from South India


This is 2 mukhi flat bead from South India available abundantly. The line at one end is left as it is and the other line is manually altered to carve a lingam, Nag and trishul. This is the most commonly sold fake one mukhi.

 Fake One Mukhi Rudraksa from South India


1 mukhi bought from Malaysia. It is nearly four inches in diameter and looks and feels like a rudraksha. However it is glued with Rudraksha pieces. 

 Fake One Mukhi Rudraksha
Fake One mukhis from Nepal with "Om" , "Trishul" & "Shivling" carved on the top.
These beads are sold in the market at Rs 2 lacs.
 
Fake 1 mukhi made by distortion of four lines in a five mukhi rudraksha . The x-ray shows that it is a 5 face rudraksha.
Fake 24 mukhi rudraksha
Fake 24 mukhi rudraksha Fake 24 mukhi rudraksha

Fake 24 mukhi carved out of Betel nut, plaster and paint. Notice the clean central hole and uniform lines which reveals its fake nature.
Fake 21 mukhi rudraksha
Fake 21 mukhi rudraksha
Fake 21 mukhi rudraksha
Fake 21 mukhi rudraksha

Fake bead made by joining together different sections of other rudraksha bead, to form one bead. Notice the central round small hole and the sharp mukhi lines, which clearly reveal it as fake. Sold as 21 mukhi.
Fake Rudraksha bead from Nepal

Fake bead made by gluing together sections of several genuine rudraksha beads of lower mukhis. Sold as 14 mukhi in Kathmandu city of Nepal.

Fake beads made by gluing together sections of several genuine rudraksha beads of lower mukhis. Sold as 21 mukhi in Kathmandu city of Nepal.
Fake One Mukhi Rudraksha Most commonly sold variety. This is actually a 3 faced Oval bead of Indian origin and not Nepalese . Other lines are skillfully obliterated leaving only one line. Purchased from Haridwar for Rs 1100- Rs 3000. Can be identified by sight.   Fake 1 mukhi half moon shape from China. It is commonly sold in market and dissolves on wearing and melts near heat. Surface is hard and not woody. Fake 1 mukhi half moon
Fake One Mukhi Rudraksha

This is a seed with a skillfully carved line sold as a Rudraksha species bead . Can be detected by sight due to the presence of smooth scales on the bead which is unlike the thorny protrusions on rudraksha beads . Usually sold capped in gold or silver to avoid seeing the drilled hole of the seed. Studies are going on to determine the species of this bead . Purchased from a reputed ashram for Rs 11,500.

A commonly sold variety from Indonesia. In this small pieces of Rudraksha are glued on four of the lines of a five mukhi bead thus leaving only one deep line. Can be detected by dipping in hot water for 2-3 hours . The other hidden lines would show up in a different color as the glue softens. Pieces chip off on regular wearing . Purchased from Indonesia for $100.

Fake One Mukhi Rudraksha
Another very commonly sold variety . This is a giant ball like piece usually given a strong sandalwood odour. Small pieces of Rudraksha are glued on a seed and a line is carved externally. Sent by a client John chew of Singapore for verification purposes, which was purchased by him for $500 from a Himalayan monk. Has a natural stem implanted on top to give the "look". Pictures shows the outside view and the inner section after opening it. Filled with edible gum. Fake One Mukhi Rudraksha
Fake One Mukhi Rudraksha This is a synthetically manufactured bead sold as 1 mukhi in religious places of India by roadside hawkers. Pictures show top view and side view . Purchased for Rs 10 after bargaining . Can be detected by sight only. 
This is a five faced Rudraksha bead in which all lines except one are hidden by sticking black glue. Pictures show two different views. Sold widely in India at road side hawkers in religious places. Can be detected by boiling in water and also by sight.
This has Om , Trishul and Snake head carved and glued on two mukhi Bhadraksha beads . Sold commonly as 1 mukhi all over India and abroad . Purchased from Shop outside Trayambekhwar Shrine in India for Rs 20. Pictures show two different designs having 1 hood and 3 hoods.
Popular method of carving extra lines on beads:
It is common to carve additional lines in a lower mukhi bead to make a higher mukhi bead that costs more . The sharp unnatural lines are clearly visible for an experienced eye. 
Identification is performed by checking for colour changes at carved line , cracked at the start and end of carved lines , and sharpness of line . A natural mukhi lines is slightly curved and not sharp , hence experienced suppliers are able to detect this. 

Fake beads made by carving extra lines. Typically 6,7 mukhis are changed to 8-12 mukhis with this process. Or 12 mukhis are changed to 14 mukhis and more with this.
Fake 8 Mukhi Rudraksha Fake 8 Mukhi Rudraksha Fake 9 Mukhi Rudraksha
7 mukhi changed to 8 mukhi by carving 1 line. 6 mukhi changed to 8 mukhi by carving 3 extra lines. Notice the sharp carved line. 5 mukhi changed to 9 mukhi by carving 4 extra lines.
Other fake mukhi Rudraksha & Rudraksha malas
fake rudraksha rosary
Fake mala of 108 + 1, 2 mukhi beads. Purchased in 1999, Indonesia. Now widely sold all over India. 		fake rudraksha rosary
Seeds of Ber tree which are coloured and sold as rudraksha beads mala Can be detected by sight as no mukhis are visible. 		fake rudraksha rosary
Fake mala of 108 + 1 mukhiless beads Purchased in 1988, Nepal.

Fake beads carved out of betel nut. Method commonly used to make high mukhi beads upto 21 mukhi. Purchased in 1998, Varanasi, India.

Fake Trijuti made from three Rudraksha beads ground and glued together. Purchased from Mumbai, India 1999.

 Fake Trijuti
Fake Gauri Shankar Rudraksha

Fake Gauri Shankars made from two Rudraksha beads ground and glued together. Purchased from Mumbai , India 1999 and Nasik in 2001.

Fake Gauri Shankar Rudraksha

UNDERDEVELOPED 3 OR 5 MUKHI with One Natural mukh

Below pictures are of underdeveloped 3 Mukhi and 5 Mukhi Rudrakshas which are having only one Mukh on the outer surface. On seeing the X Ray pictures of these beads one can see very clearly that they have actually 3 or 5 seeds inside. These types of Rudrakshas are available in Nepal for around USD 45. Please note that these beads are absolutely natural and no tempering has been done with the bead, but these beads cannot be considered as Eka Mukhi Rudraksha because in X Ray pictures the seeds inside these beads are more than one. In some case it is 5 seeds and in some case it is 3 seeds. 
 

Under Developed 1 Mukhi Rudraksha showing clear One Mukh. Under Developed 4 Mukhs and 1 complete Mukh can be seen.

Under Developed 1 Mukhi Rudraksha showing clear One Mukh. Picture showing starting of Mukhs with 1 clear Mukh of under developed bead.

Under Developed 1 Mukhi Rudraksha showing clear One mukh. Picture showing starting of mukh of under developed bead.

Under developed 1 Mukhi Rudraksha showing clear One mukh. Under developed 2 Mukhs and 1 complete mukh can be seen.
 
Fake 21 mukhi carved from a lower mukhi. Notice the damage the bead has undergone due to carving and pasting and gluing. The x-ray shows the actual seeds. Fake 21 mukhi carved from Betel Nut. Sold commonly as 21 mukhi