Seven Sins of Agarwood Adulteration and a Practical Avoidance Checklist

Agarwood adulteration is rampant. This article summarizes seven common counterfeiting methods (seven sins) and provides a practical avoidance checklist to help enthusiasts identify authenticity and avoid financial loss.

Sin 1: High-Pressure Oil Injection

High-pressure oil injection is a common adulteration method. Low-quality agarwood or white wood is injected with chemical oils under high pressure to darken the color and increase weight, imitating high-resin agarwood. When identifying, observe whether the resin lines are natural; oil-injected agarwood often has uniform resin distribution without layering and emits a pungent chemical odor when burned. For resin identification methods, refer to the Identification Pillar Page.

Sin 2: Dyeing Treatment

Dyed agarwood uses chemical dyes to turn light-colored wood into dark, imitating the appearance of high-resin agarwood. Natural agarwood has uneven colors with clear resin lines, while dyed agarwood has a uniform, dull color and may fade when exposed to water or alcohol. When purchasing, wipe the surface with a wet tissue to check for color transfer.

Sin 3: Passing Off as Famous Origins

Using ordinary agarwood to impersonate famous origins (e.g., Hui'an or Sin Chew) is a common fraud. For example, ordinary Indonesian agarwood may be passed off as Vietnamese Nha Trang agarwood at double the price. Enthusiasts need to understand the characteristics of each origin or use authoritative testing. For more origin knowledge, see the Agarwood Encyclopedia.

Sin 4: Artificial Compression

Artificial compression involves compressing agarwood scraps or white wood under high pressure to increase density and weight, imitating sinking-grade agarwood. Compressed agarwood has unnatural twisted textures, and under a magnifying glass, particle compression marks are visible. Although the sink test can screen out some fakes, highly compressed agarwood may also sink, so other methods should be combined.

Sin 5: Chemical Soaking for Fragrance

Chemical soaking involves soaking low-quality agarwood in chemical fragrances to emit a strong scent and mask the original woody smell. Such agarwood has an intense initial aroma but short-lasting and pungent. Natural agarwood has rich, long-lasting layered aroma. Learn aroma identification techniques through Chinese Incense Studies · Agarwood Identification.

Sin 6: Splicing and Adulteration

Splicing involves gluing small pieces of agarwood together to create large pieces or carvings, passing them off as whole materials. Spliced areas often show glue marks, discontinuous textures, and may fluoresce under UV light. Observe texture direction and seams carefully when purchasing.

Sin 7: Passing Off Inferior as Superior (New as Old)

New agarwood has loose wood and a浮躁 (impetuous) aroma, while old agarwood is mellow and warm. Merchants often pass off new agarwood as old through artificial oxidation or dyeing. Identification requires checking whether oil lines are clear, wood is dense, and aroma is沉稳 (calm).

Avoidance Checklist: Five-Step Anti-Fraud Guide

1. Learn the basics: Master agarwood origins, grades, and identification points. Recommended reading: Kyara Pillar Page (Kyara is the ultimate agarwood; understanding it helps grasp high-quality agarwood features).
2. Choose reliable channels: Prefer reputable brands or established stores; avoid street stalls and tourist areas.
3. Request authoritative certificates: Ask for third-party test reports, such as CMA or CNAS accredited institutions.
4. Physical inspection: Observe resin lines, color, texture; smell the aroma; perform sink test (for reference only).
5. Keep purchase receipts: Ask for invoices or receipts for future rights protection.

Conclusion: Although agarwood adulteration methods are many, mastering core identification knowledge, maintaining a rational mindset, and not seeking cheap deals can effectively avoid pitfalls. Enthusiasts are advised to learn more and observe more to accumulate experience.

(This is industry observation and popular-science summary, not investment advice. Buy agarwood through legal channels with traceable, testable sources.)