USING A MAGNIFYING GLASS IS ESENTIAL WHEN LOOKING AT THE MARKING OF THE PIM, SOME OF THE INDICATION ARE VISUAL AND EASY TO SEE ON SOME PIM AND SOME ARE SO SMALL AND ALMOST UNNOTICABLE AND REQUIRE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.  SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE SHOULF BE SHOWING OR EXPLAINING THIS TO YOU.  WHEN LOOKING YOU DO NEED A SPECIAL ATTENTION AND OFTEN TAKE HOURS BEFORE NOTICING OR UNDERSTAND THE PIM DESIGN. PEOPLE WHO SPEND OVER 20 TO 40 YEARS COLLECTING AND LEARNING THE DESIGN STILL HAVING DIFFICULT TIME AND OCCATIONALLY MISREAD AND MADE PURCHASING OF FAKE SOMDEJ AS WELL. THIS MISTAKE IS NOT UNCOMMOND AND HAPPEND QUITE OFTEN IN THE CIRCLE OF COLLECTORS. PLEASE DON'T BE FRUSTRATED IF YOU HAVE A HARD TIME SEEING OR UNDERSTANDING ALL MY MESSAGE. REMEMBER THESE ARE SIMPLY FREE TIPS AND YOU SHOULD HAVE SOMEONE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, (SOMEONE WITH A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCE TO SHOW THESE TO YOU BUT DO BE AWARE OF WHAT YOU DO READ OR WHO YOU DO LISTHEN TO) . WITHOUT SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE TO SHOW YOU, IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SEEING FROM LOOKING AT THE PICTURE. YOU ALSO NEED A GOOD MAGNIFYING GLASS WHEN LOOKING AT THE PIM DESIGN BECAUSE THE DISTINCT DIFFERENT IS SO IN DETAIL AND SOMETIME EXTREMELY HARD TO SEE WITH A NAKED EYES.  LATER WHEN I HAVE MORE TIME, I WILL TRY TO GIVE EXAMPLE.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND AND NOT TO BE CONFUSE.
WHEN I POINT A LEFT TO YOU IT MEAN FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE LEFT AS YOU LOOKING AT THE AMULET AND IT IS NOT THE AMULET PERSPECTIVE LEFT.

1). The sharp and pointy part of the head dress of the Somdej should 
        -have a nice steady curve upward from the ear as it pointing up to the tip of curve line.
        -the headress or pointy tip must be leaning slightly to the right, almost hard to tell.
        -your perspective right as you are looking at the amulet. Or amulet perspective left! 
        -Look at the picture carefully because it is almost unnoticable.
        -Note!! if it is leaning in the opporsit direction it is from a wrong erra or FAKE.

2). The surface of the upper left and right edge corner of the amulet should be nicely flat 
        -It should not appear to be rounded off, if so then it might be from other temple
        -if the left upper corner is too curry or rounded off on the edge, (I try to avoid it)
        -There is a chance the amulet is not original; (May be from Wat BargKunProm)

3). The surface of the upper left edge corner should appear to be higher than the 
        -surface of the inside of the curvy arch or upside down cup line ; (not apply to Wat BargKunProm)

4). (Require the use of magnifying Glass)
    The right underarm should seem slightly higher than the left under arm; 
    -your perspective right as you are looking at the amulet.  
    (Only apply to mainly large pim and not apply to Wat BargKunProm, Pim GhateBouToom, and Pim Ouak_Khrud)

5). The second horizontal thick line from the bottom should appear like a table 
        -you should see two legs especially for a large pim design ; (not apply to Wat BargKunProm)

6). The thick first horizontal line on the very bottom should appear to be fat and wide
        -the left edge of the bottom thick horrizontal line should seem near, touching, or appeared to be overlaping the upside down cup line, or the arch (not apply to Wat BargKunProm, Pim GhateBouToom, and Pim Ouak_Khrud)

7). (Require the use of magnifying Glass)
    The arch or upside down cup line 
        -In most pim not apply to the earlier pim, the line should appear to have
        -small line or crease like indication under or near the Bell line, 
        -appear to be slicely folded in some section, 
          ; (not apply to most earlier Pim and Wat BargKunProm)

8). (Require the use of magnifying Glass)
    The outer edge or side should have small visible or thin line on one of the four side
        -or appear to be cut twice but extremely difficult to identify
        -Only amulet ID# 101 is more visible and easy to see
        -On amulet ID#100 it is on the right side and so small that is difficult to visualize
        -On amulet ID#10, ID#11 it is on the upper left and also so small and difficult to see
        -Amulet ID# 200 is an earlier Pim.
        -; (not apply to the earlier Pim and Wat BargKunProm)

9). The two waist line on the side of the buddha bady should appear to be flared outward 
         ; (not apply to Wat BargKunProm)

10). There are many different mix of material and are not necessary cores or rock like 
        -there are some Somdej that have high mix of rice or made entirely from rice, 
        -if they are made of entirely from rice, there is no lime stone or corse rock!!!!!!
        -(In older Somdej books some pim Yhai & Ghate bou-toom were shown made of rice) 
        -there are some Somdej that made mainly of crushed sea shell; have smooth surface 
        -there are some Somdej that made mainly of powdered limestone; have smooth surface 
        -Not all Somdej material must consist of lime stone or coarse surface 
         Some material are of entirely of rice, some entirely of powder sea shell or lime stone
         ; (not apply to Wat BargKunProm) Wat BargKunProm used entirely different
         materail and some have shown to been borrowed material from Wat Rakung

IMPORTAN BASIC SIGN OF INDICATING A SOMDEJ WAT RAKANG
FOR THE OTHER PIM DESIGN 

 1). The surface of the upper left edge corner of the amulet should be flat 
        -It should not appear to be rounded off 
        -If the left upper corner is too curry or rounded off on the edge 
        -then it is 99% chance the amulet is fake!!!! ; (not apply to Wat BargKunProm)

2). The surface of the upper left edge corner should appear to be higher than the 
        -the surface of the inside of the curvy arch or upside down cup ; (not apply to Wat BargKunProm)

3). The outer edge should appear to have a thin line 
        -or appear to be cut twice ; (not apply to Wat BargKunProm)

4). There are many different mix of material and are not necessary cores with rock like 
        -there are some Somdej that have high mix of rice or made entirely from rice 
        -(In older Somdej books some pim Yhai & Ghate bou-toom were shown made of rice) 
        -there are some Somdej that made mainly of crushed sea shell; have smooth surface 
        -there are some Somdej that made mainly of powdered limestone; have smooth surface 
        -Not all Somdej material must consist of lime stone or coarse surface 
         Some material are of entirely of rice, some entirely of powder sea shell or lime stone
         ; (not apply to Wat BargKunProm) Wat BargKunProm used entirely different
         materail and some have shown to been borrowed material from Wat Rakung

TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUBJECT

     BE CAREFUL, MANY  OR SOME OF THE FAKE SOMDEJ ARE KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN RECREATED FROM THE REAL ONE, (Similar in every regard, exept the material make up and density). THE DIFFERENT IS THE MATERIAL, USE WRONG MATERIAL AND OFTEN ARE WHITE PLASTER INSIDE AND DIGITALY PAINTED ON THE SURFACE TO LOOK LIKE THE REAL ONE. BUT WHEN YOU EXPOSE IT TO WATER THE MATERIAL BREAK DOWN AND OFTEN SEE UNDERNEAT THE PAIN IS SIMPLY A WHITE PLASTER LIKE MATERIAL. THIS IS VERY IMPORTAN INFORMATION!! 

     THE REAL PRA SOMDEJ MATERIAL ARE DENCE, HARD, VERY MUCH LIKE A CERAMIC, AND IF DROP ON A MARBLE IT SHOULD RESONATE OR SOUND LIKE A CERAMIC WOULD!!!!

     TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PHRA SOMDEJ YOU SHOULD BE FAMILIAR AND HAVE A STRONG KNOWLEDGE OF THE PIM SESIGN.  BUT FIRST LEARN FROM LOOKING AT THE REAL ONES AND STUDY THEIR MATERIALS, TEXTURES, DENSITY OF THE MATERIALS, AND THE RICHNESS OF THEIR TRUE COLORS.  YOU SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THESE BASICS BEFORE TRYING TO RECOGNIZE THE PIM DESIGN.  MORE IMPORTANLY, BE FAMILIAR WITH HOW THE MATERIAL SHOULD APPEAR FROM THE AGING PROCESS AND FROM THE YEARS OF HUMAN HANDLING.  IF THE AMULET HAS NEVER BEEN HANDLED THROUGH THE YEARS, AND WAS KEPT IN ITS ORIGINALSTATE SINCE THE TIME OF ITS ISSUE, THEN IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE IF IT IS GENUINE.  IF THIS WERE THE CASE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATERIALS AND TEXTURES AS WELL AS A PIM DESIGN THAT WAS ISSUED BY SOMDEJ TOH.  THIS REQUIRES TRAINED EYES TO DISTINQUISH ITS TRUE ORIGIN.

     I THINK THE ABOVE IMFORMATION IS CRITICAL BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN EASILY FAKE THE PIM DESIGN, BUT IT IS FAR MORE DIFFICULT TO FAKE THE TRUE ORIGINAL SOMDEJ MATERIAL, TEXTURE, DENSITY OF THE MATERIAL, AND THE EFFECT OF THE NATURAL AGING PROCESS. 

     NOTE!  IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF MIXED MATERIALS THAT PRODUCE PHRA SOMDEJ WAT RAKUNG.  UNDERSTAND THAT THE EARLIER PIM PRA SOMDEJ CAME OUT WITH LITTLE TUM-NI AND REQUIRE TRAIN EYES TO SEE THE DIFFERENT.  KNOWING THE PRA SOMDEJ MATERIAL WILL HELP YOU TRAMENDOUSLY.  MOST EXPERT ONLY FOLLOW THE LATER PIM DESIGN, DISREGARD MATERIAL AND TEXTURE , AND OFTEN ENDS UP WITH SOME FAKE SOMDEJ AS WELL.  IF POSSIBLE, YOU NEED TO STUDY WITH THE OLDER GENERATION, SOMEONE WHO TRUELY KNOW THE SUBJECT,  AND POSSIBLY TRY TO STUDY THE PICTURE FROM OLD PRA SOMDEJ BOOKS.  ALSO, TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE WHO FOLLOW HIGH STANDARD, INTEGRITY, MORAL VALUE, TRUE KNOWLEDGE, AND WILL NOT MISLEAD PEOPLE. PEOPLE WITH SUCH TRACE IS OFTEN RARE AND DIFFICULT TO FIND.  I BELIVE THAT THAI PEOPLE ARE VERY KIND AND LOVING BUT SOMEHOW IN THE WOLD OF BUDDHA COLLECTING I TEND TO FIND MANY THAT CARRIED A LESSER STANDARD THAN WHAT I WAS RAISED UP TO BE. I SOMETIME USES A SPECIAL METHOD TO VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY BY LETTING TEN OR MORE EXPERT LOOK AT THE ITEM THEN EVALUATE THE RESULT.  IF NIE PEOPLE RESPONDED POSSITIVELY THEN I FEEL THAT I HAVE MADE A CORRECT DECISION AND BE CAUSION AND EVALUATE WHY THE ONE PERSON WOULD GIVE A NEGATIVE RESPOND. THIS IS OFTEN A TRICK THEY USE TO UNDERMIND THE UNEXPECTING VICTIM AND TRY TO BUY IT OFF AT A LOWER PRICE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY THINK THE CUSTOMER DON'T KNOW BETTER. THIS IS OFTEN THE CASE WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH AN EXTREMELTY PRICY ITEM. 

     YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT THE DIFFERENT PIM DESIGNS ARE NOT THE SAME, AND ONLY THE PIM PHRA-PHA-TARN HAS THE MOST NOTICABLE SIGN THAT GIVE AN INDICATION OF ITS ORIGIN (MORE TUM-NI).  SOMDEJ PIM YHAI, SOMDEJ PIM SHIEN-DAI, SOMDEJ PIM THARN-SAM, SOMDEJ PIM GHATE-BOU-TOOM, AND OTHER PIMS ARE MUCH DIFFERENT, AND EACH PIM HAS ITS OWN DISTINCT FEATURES.

     IF YOU HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT SOMDEJ AND IN SEARCHING FOR ONE, THEN ONE OF THE SURE THINGS TO LOOK FOR ON A SOMDEJ IS THE WHITE LIMESTONE POWDER-LIKE STAIN ON THE SURFACE OF SOME PIM.  ONLY A VERY FEW PHRA SOMDEJ HAVE NOTICABLE LIMESTONE ON THEIR SURFACE. THIS LIMESTONE ON THE SURFACE CAN’T BE WASHED OFF AND WILL CONTINUE TO RESURFACE AFTER DRYING.  THIS IS ONLY VISIBLE ON SOME OF THE MATERIAL WITH A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF LIMESTONE, AND IS ONE OF THE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME OF THE PHRA SOMDEJ MATERIAL.  IT WILL ONLY BE SEEN ON THE ONE MADE BY SOMDEJ TOH FROM WAT RAKUNG AND WILL NOT BE SEEN ON ANY OTHER AMULETS MADE FROM OTHER TEMPLES.  THE MATERIAL IS FROM WHITE LIMESTONE THAT IS CRUSHED INTO A POWER AND IS SPRINKLED ON THE MOLD TO PREVENT THE MATERIAL FROM STICKING ONTO THE MOLD SURFACE WHEN THEY CREATE THE PHRA SOMDEJ. SOME WERE ALSO MADE FROM SEA SHELL MIXED WITH LIMESTONE.  SOME AMULETS MATERIAL MAY TURNED GREEN WITH TIME. THIS IS FROM THE HIGH MIXTURE OF CRUSHED SEA SHELL AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS WHAT CAUSING THE MATERIAL TO TURN DISCOLORED GREEN ON THE SURFACE AS IT AGE. 

     THE CLASSIC PHRA SOMDEJ MATERIAL HAS THE MIX OF LARGE WHITE LIMESTONE. SOME ARE MADE ENTIRELY OF LEFT OVER RICE FROM SOMDEJ TOH. SOME ARE MADE OF CRUSHED SEA SHELL AND CRUSHED LIMESTONE AND NOT NESSESSARY HAVE THE LARGE LIMESTONE MIXTURE.  SOME HAVE HIGH CONCENTRATION OF FLOWER SEEDLINGS (GHAISON-DHOG-MHAI) THAT CAN EASILY BE SEEN ON THE SURFACE.  ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS PIM IS THE PIM GHATE-BOU-TOOM THAT YOU OFTEN SEEN IN AN OLDER AMULET MAGAZINE IS MADE FROM ENTIRELY OF LEFT OVER RICE. IT IS ALSO THE SAME EXACT PIM OF THE PIM GHATE-BOU-TOOM THAT IS LISTED IN THIS WEBSITE.  PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT ALL SOMDEJ SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A LARGE LINESTONE, (STONE) MIXED IN THE MATERIAL. ONLY A REAL SOMDEJ EXPERT CAN AGREED THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT WAS MADE OF ENTIRELY OF RICE, MOSTLY OF CRUSHED SEA SHELL, AND MOSTLY OF CRUSHED AND POWERED LIMESTONE AND ARE OFTEN SMOOTH AND CONTRADICT SUCH STATEMENT.  NOT ALL SOMDEJ MATERIAL NESSESSARY DO HAVE A LARGE LIMESTONE VISIBLE AS YOU CAN SEE IN MOST OF THE OLDER SOMDEJ MAGAZINE.

     IF YOU COMPARE WITH SOME OF THE OLDER AMULET BOOKS YOU WILL BE BETTER INFORM. AN EXAMPLE CAN BE SEEN ON THE SOMDEJ ITEMS ID#101, ID#110, 210, AND ID#220 POSTED ON THIS WEB SITE.  THE ITEM ID#220 ALSO HAS THE CLASSIC MATERIAL MIXTURE OF THE LARGE WHITE LIMESTONE THAT IS VISIBLE MOSTLY ON THE BACK VIEW.  THIS AMULET IS ALSO DARK BROWN COLORED ON THE UPPER CORNER DUE TO AGING AND FROM YEARS OF HUMAN HANDLING.  LOOK FOR A TINY SINGLE RED STONE THAT IS USUALLY VISIBLE ON MOST PHRA SOMDEJ FROM WAT RAKUNG.  SOME PHRA SOMDEJ HAVE MIXED TINY FINE GOLD FLAKES THAT CAN BE SEEN UNDER THE SUN, AS ON ITEM ID#100.  YOU CAN ALSO SEE ON ITEM ID#100 A BROWN AND BLUEISH-GREEN COLOR ON THE SURFACE.  THIS IS FROM MANY YEARS OF BEING EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS.  ALSO A PHRA SOMDEJ LIKE ITEM ID#210 HAS LARGE GOLD FLAKES MIXED WITH THE MATERIAL, WHICH IS MOSTLY VISIBLE ON THE BACK SIDE.  THE ITEM ID#101 AND ID#110 IS ALSO A GREAT SPECIMENT, BECAUSE IT HAS A WONDERFUL MIXTURE OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF SMALL AND COLORFUL FLOWER SEEDLING MATERIAL, CALLED GHASON_DHOAK_MHAI.  TRY TO AVOID PHRA SOMDEJ WITHOUT SOME OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED CHARACTERISTICS VISIBLE ON THE MATERIAL.   PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF A GENUINE PHRA SOMDEJ WAT RAKUNG, BUT I CAN ONLY SHOW YOU AND USE WHAT I HAVE ON MY WEBSITE AS AN EXAMPLE.

     THIS IS ONLY SOME OF THE ADVICE I CAN GIVE TO YOU.  BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO KNOW AND LEARN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT AND THIS IS JUST AN INTRODUCTION.  I FIRST BECAME INTERESTED IN THE PHRA SOMDEJ WHEN I WAS A YOUNG BUDDHISH MONK IN THAILAND 25 YEARS AGO.  AND I NOW HOPE THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE OBTAINED DURING THESE LAST 20 YEARS MAY BE OF SOME VALUE TO YOU.