How to Distinguish the Genuine and the Fake Bianstones
With the popularity of Bianstones and the development of Bianstone therapeutics, many fake Bianstones appear on the market, among which Lingbi Stones take up the major portion. With the dark gray color and white veins similar to the Bianstone, Lingbi Stone is used to pass for the Bianstone and mislead the consumers. However, due to the unknown compositions of the fake Bianstone and its failure to pass the rigorous safety testing, there is a widespread doubt about its adverse effects. Therefore, consumers should be cautious when purchasing Bianstone products.
With a microcrystalline structure, the genuine Bianstone belongs to pumice. Its temperature quickly conforms to that of human body when they comes into contact, that is , the Bianstone will soon get warm; in comparison, Lingbi Stone is a type of mineral, it still remains cool after a long time contact.
Because of little natural reserve and the use of Bianstone in medical equipments, the genuine Bianstone is of very high value. Consumers should note the following points to guard against counterfeiting:
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National test report and safety verification
Modern evidence-based medicine requires quantitative clinical research data. In the project of developing Bianstones, a test report based on the experimental research is generated by the national department of China academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Academic Institution of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. By synthesizing those results, Beijing Gengnai Optical Rotation Detection Technology Research Center sets up the Bianstone standard (Q/XC GWJ001-2005) and the Bianstone Tool Standard (Q/XC GWJ002-2005). Since 2002, the Bianstone has been applied to two national research programs initiated by the State Administration of the Traditional Chinese Medicine. Since 2003, it has been clinically used in the affiliated Xi Yuan Hospital of China Academy of Medical Sciences.
Restrictions of radioactivity and hazardous substances specified in the Bianstone standard are stricter than national standards, even passing the stringent test of EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS, 2002/95/EC). Not a few businesspersons who sell fake Bianstones cannot provide the true and reliable proofs. They are either tampering with the data of quality inspection standard on Bianstone made by relevant departments, chemical composition of test reports and radioactivity test reports or they just copy the real data and sell Lingbi Stones passing for the Bianstones. Consumers should be alert of it. -
Making Fake Bianstones by Confusing False Bianstone Concepts in Jewelry Verification and Others
International Gem Identification has assessment index of fineness, weight and cutting of the gems. However, the Bianstone, a type of pumice, is neither the mineral nor jewelry. It is a material for medical equipment. Fineness and weight alone cannot be used to distinguish between the genuine and the fake Bianstone.
The real Bianstone is generally dark gray when unpolished, and a polished one is usually grayish black because of oil on its surface. Some Bianstones are yellowish for containing plenty of pyrits and some even have stone textures left by the process of formation.