Six checkable signals that separate honest agarwood from decoration — and from fakes.
Updated 2026-10-07 · Wubaiyi Agarwood (伍佰艺沉香), Hainan plantations & Beijing flagship store
Resin shows as dark lines and patches running with the wood fibre. On beads, look for even, flowing lines rather than blotchy stains that stop abruptly. Painted or dyed material usually gives itself away with surface colour that ignores the grain.
On an electric heater, good agarwood releases its aroma in layers — often a sweet woody opening, then deeper balsamic notes as the temperature rises. A single harsh, chemical spike, or a scent that is identical at every temperature, suggests added fragrance rather than wood resin.
"Feels heavy" is not a grade. Ask for the gram weight and the bead count (for bracelets, usually 108 or 14–16mm strings). A seller who states these in writing is giving you something you can check against the delivered piece.
Sinking is a proxy for density, which tracks resin content. But test a small chip, not a bracelet, and know the caveat: a bead may sink while the string floats, and a heavier piece is not automatically better for your use. Sinking grade is a tier, not a verdict.
Burn a chip. Real agarwood tends to give soft, light ash and a gentle smoke; over-perfumed or treated material can spit, smell acrid, or leave a hard, dark residue. The burn test is the hardest to fake.
"Sinking grade qinan at a giveaway price" is not a bargain; it is a signal. Genuine high-grade material is scarce, and honest sellers explain why a piece is priced as it is — cultivation history, grade, weight — rather than leaning on superlatives.
We photograph the oil lines and state gram weight for every lot we quote, so the checks happen before money changes hands.
Smell is one signal, not proof. Genuine agarwood changes aroma across low-to-mid heat; but a fake can also be scented. Combine smell with oil-line pattern, weight and the burn test.
It means higher density and resin content, which is one quality axis. For daily wear, semi-sinking or non-sinking material often offers better value.
Ask for photos of the oil lines and the stated gram weight and bead count, request a sample, and start with one lot before committing to volume.