Ask the shopkeeper to show you a cut piece or look closely at the side edge of the board. Real Gurjan core looks like: – Layers have uniform reddish-brown colour – Veneers are evenly thick – No “patches” of different wood types – No sudden pale layers in between – No gaps or holes If the core is genuine, all the layers will match the tone of the face veneer. Fake or mixed core identification: – Pale yellow or white layers – Alternating brown and light cores – Big voids or inconsistencies – Core layers look weak or fibrous – You see “patches” of different wood types