With the proliferation of counterfeit MAXOS safety sight and level gauge glasses into the market, it is increasingly important to be aware of ways to differentiate the fakes from the original, genuine MAXOS glasses. After all, we’ve already discussed the dangers of using fake MAXOS level gauge glasses. Here are some key differentiating characteristics that can help you with identifying counterfeit MAXOS glasses.
The first differentiating characteristic is that MAXOS glasses are pressed from molten glass to the final dimension. Due to the pressing process the side of the glass is not completely smooth but has a light wavery structure. Fake glasses are usually cut out from big glass sheets and are grinded and polished on the sides which lead to a fully smooth surface.
The second differentiating characteristic is the chamfer on the glass. While the chamfer on original MAXOS glasses is formed directly during the pressing process and is therefore clear, the chamfers on counterfeit glasses are usually applied manually and are opaque.
The third differentiating characteristic is the glass itself. While low quality borosilicate or silicate glasses are almost white, MAXOS’ SUPRAX borosilicate glass has a slight greenish appearance.
If you are still unsure about the origin of your MAXOS glasses, we will be more than glad to help. Just drop us an email with some photographs of the glasses, your purchase details, including the dimensions and toughening lot number.
Update: 28-May-2025
Apart from the above differentiating characteristics you may also notice the following:
- Marking on the visible surface is too big.
- Manually applied chamfer out of tolerance (Actual 0.6 mm / Target 1.6 mm +/- 0.8 mm).
- Crumbles are uneven and partially too big, which can be caused by impurities within the glass or uneven toughening.
- Reflex gauges are meant to allow assessing filling levels by means of total internal reflection. This requires precise pressing otherwise the reflex effect is not given like with this specimen.
- No traceability possible due to missing toughening lot number.
In addition:
Chinese characters are not used on original labels
MAXOS glasses have not been produced in Malaysia for over 16 years Original labels are marked with “Made in Germany” only.
