I used to think the 'petrified wood' at roadside stands was always fake.

Then I took a trip to the Petrified Forest in Arizona and saw the real thing up close. The crystal structure and weight were totally different from the dyed agate they sell to tourists. Has anyone else had a moment like that with a common mineral?

3 comments

3 Comments

taragibson2mo ago

Oh man, same thing with turquoise for me. I bought this cheap "turquoise" ring at a festival, and it started flaking green paint. Then I saw a real piece from a mine, all uneven and waxy looking. It was a total lightbulb moment about how much fake stuff is out there.

coleman.avery2mo ago

Yeah, I had a similar wake-up call with a "jade" necklace that turned my neck a faint, sickly green. I felt like a human mood ring for a week.

gibson.oliver1mo agoMost Upvoted

My neck was doing a pretty convincing impression of the Grinch's heart after a cheap "silver" chain I bought from a street vendor. It turned a lovely shade of green-blue after just two days, and I looked like I was auditioning for a zombie movie. Honestly thought I was dying for a solid 24 hours before I realized it was just my skin trying to tell me the chain was 99% copper. LOL