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A Singaporean elderly couple, surnamed Liu, spent more than S$7,000 on jewelry in China, believing it to be high-value black jade, only to discover it was worth less than S$100. The journey began on September 8 when the couple joined a six-day, five-night tour of Guizhou, attended by around 20 elderly participants. The group toured a gemstone shop during the final day of the trip, where the couple's mother intended to buy a jade accessory for herself but the shop assistant convinced her parents to purchase 16 items.

These included zodiac ornaments, beaded bracelets, Pixiu, dragon and phoenix pendants, and a black jade Buddha pendant, valued at a total of RMB37,240 (S$7,093). Some of the jewelry came with certificates of authenticity. Upon returning to Singapore, the wife noticed the black jade Buddha pendant appeared unusual and contacted the Nanyang Gemological Institute to have two pieces appraised.

The black jade Buddha pendant was revealed to be made of less expensive serpentine stone, not black jadeite as claimed, and thus worth under S$100. The woman reached out to the Singapore Tourism Board for assistance, who advised her to inquire with her bank about a potential refund. The process could take 12 to 16 weeks. The tour agency and guide were also contacted; the guide confirmed the company had received the complaint and was verifying with its partner in Guizhou.

If valid, the agency would assist with a refund. The guide offered to return the disputed jade products to Guizhou for a refund, but Liu opted to wait for the bank refund before parting with the items. She hopes her parents' experience will warn other tourists to be careful when shopping overseas, emphasizing that determining the authenticity of gemstones and jewelry can be difficult without expertise and advising the public to conduct research before purchasing.