Amber inclusions

HudsonGray

I looked under the words synthetic amber & was surprised to see there's a LOT of it out there. Some is plastic, some resin, and some are 50/50 mixed with real ground up amber particles. That must make it hard for jewelers to identify the real thing.
 

Ruby7

HudsonGray said:
I looked under the words synthetic amber & was surprised to see there's a LOT of it out there. Some is plastic, some resin, and some are 50/50 mixed with real ground up amber particles. That must make it hard for jewelers to identify the real thing.
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It is difficult to tell sometimes by just looking at the piece in question but there are a few lab tests that we can do to determine if it is genuine amber.

One simple test is by checking the specific gravity using a salt solution (glass of salt water) with a known piece of amber as an indicator stone. Add salt to the water until your known piece of amber floats. Most plastics and Bakelite will sink when immersed in this solution but of course amber will float. This is not definitive since copal (a natural fossil resin also) will float and plastic beads containing large gas or air bubbles can float also.

A spot of ether placed on the surface of copal will usually produce a sticky patch whereas in true amber there is no action.

Ultra-violet light tests can separate amber from other substances also.

If desparate there is also a test where the blade of a knife is applied (very carefully to an inconspicuos spot) Amber and copal resins break away (very easily and distinctively) in powdery splinters or chips. Glass would not be affected. Plastics peel, Bakelite would be reisitant to the blade.

The peelings on the knife blade can then be burned to see if they have the aromatic smell characteristic of amber (copal has this also)

Probably forgot something but I think that's enought for now,

Ruby7
 

HudsonGray

I remember a heat test being mentioned for amber--but you'd damage the item. You basically take a needle & heat it red hot then touch it to the surface. If you smell pine tree, it's real. If you smell plastic then it's fake.
 

Ruby7

The heat test would definitely damage the stone, but if done carefully with just the needle point it doesn't show too much. If the stone is already in a ring sometimes you can get at the amber underneath the setting (if the setting is open).

Ruby7
 

Shade

I've always been a fan of the beautiful smelling amber resin sold as an incense. Only recently did I discover taht most of the beautiful stuff was actually a combination of benzoin and vanilla. C'est la vie, I still like using it as an incense even if it isn't amber.
 

Kyrielle

If you rub amber with wool and hold it to your head, it will attract your hair. Static electricity -- I think the Greek name for amber was "elektron" because of it.

I don't know about plastic.

Kyrielle
 

Ruby7

Hi Kyrielle,

Yeah I forgot about that---and no plastic does not do this.

Ruby7
 

TygrEyes

I know I started this about inclusions, but does anyone have an amber sphere? I have two & was wondering how common it is that it's shaped into spheres - excluding beads. :eek:)
Oh, and when I did the rubbing on wool test with my first smaller sphere it repelled hair not attracted it. What's up with that? It's still an electrical "force".
 
Charging in the moon and sun Cleansing a necklace