Start with the photos, not the promises.
If a listing only shows heavily edited lifestyle shots and never shows close-ups of the beads, polish, inclusions, or clasp and cord details, it is harder to trust. Good listings make it easier to inspect the material visually.
Watch for common warning signs.
Too perfect for the priceUniform colour, zero inclusions, and unreal clarity at a very low price often signals glass, dye, or a synthetic substitute.
Vague wordingLook for specific material wording, bead size, wrist length, and whether the seller admits when a stone is treated or dyed.
Only symbolic languageIf the description talks only about healing, luck, attraction, or protection and tells you almost nothing about the actual item, that is a weak sign.
Use the stone pages as your filter.
Each Gem Intent stone page includes a short authenticity note and a care note so you can compare a listing against what the material usually looks like. That is a faster decision path than relying on seller claims alone.