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Amber
https://gemologyonline.com/Forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=24789		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  indianajonez [ Tue Nov 06, 2018 2:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Amber?
Hi,

Apologies, I originally placed this in the wrong thread.

I need a little advice as to identifying if this necklace is made of real Baltic amber.

I have just brought a necklace and have ran a few tests on it to try to determine if it's Amber, Copal, plastic or something else.

The tests I have done are as follows:

Touch = Warm to the touch, not cold = OK
Weight = Light like plastic, not glass = OK
Static rub = Picks up bits of paper = OK
Acetone = Rubbed with acetone, no damage to bead surface (Not sticky or anything)
UV light = On order, yet to arrive.
Hot pin = Not yet tried.

Water test:
Fresh water = Sank = OK
Salt Water = Sank! = Noooooooo!!! ... HOWEVER THE BEADS ARE INTERSPERSED WITH OTHER SMALLER METAL BEADS, MAYBE SILVER, YET TO CHECK.

QUESTION: COULD THE PRESENCE OF THE MUCH SMALLER METAL BEADS BE CAUSING THE NECKLACE TO SINK IN SALT WATER EVEN IF THE AMBER BEADS ARE ACTUAL AMBER?

Also anyone want to comment on the photos, does the necklace look like real (Butterscotch/Egg Yolk) amber. Does to me but I'm no expert.

Many thanks,
Indy

Attachments:
Amber Beads 2.jpg
Amber Beads 2.jpg [ 5.14 MiB | Viewed 2588 times ]
Amber Beads 3 -.jpg
Amber Beads 3 -.jpg [ 584.29 KiB | Viewed 2588 times ]
Author:  indianajonez [ Thu Nov 08, 2018 8:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Amber
Update:



Just soaked one of the beads in acetone for a whole '6' minutes (Much longer then before) and the bead still remained hard, did not soften or become tacky.



There is a point at which Copal becomes Amber as it goes through the same process (Amber millions of years, Copal hundreds of thousands of years - Up to one million supposedly), the jury is still out as to when one becomes the other.



Because the acetone had no effect on the bead I am assuming that the bead is very old Copal nearing the point of transition to Amber.



Any thoughts?
Author:  Isi [ Thu Nov 08, 2018 8:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Amber
Question, did you put the right amount of salt into your salt water ?

But yes of course, the metal pieces can affect the SG of the whole necklace, and so can the thread, and the air bubbles trapped into the bead holes. Evrything composing the necklace has an influence, in one way or the other.

The best thing would be to analyse one bead only, taking care of removing the air from the bead hole when immersing.

Having said that, I can’t help finding that your supposed amber beads have an odd look, not particularly inspiring. Looks more like plastic to me, but without seeing in real I wouldn’t judge too fast.

Any reaction under UV light ? Not that it would give a definite answer, but out of curiosity.
Author:  indianajonez [ Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Amber
Hi Isi,

I don't think they are plastic as I did the acetone test again today, submerging a bead in the acetone for over 6 minutes with no change to the bead at all.

The UV torch is in the post, so give me a few days for it to arrive then I will get back with the result.

I might do the hot pin test in the meantime.

I have come to believe that the beads are Copal, but because the acetone had no effect I reckon the Copal is of some age.

Someone (Not on this thread!) suggested that they might be Baltic Copal however I am guessing Nepalese Copal as I came across a photo on-line which looked almost identical.
Author:  Isi [ Fri Nov 09, 2018 7:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Amber
Could be some kind of dyed horn too.
Only a suggestion, inspired by the surface grain.
The coloured spots are rather strange for amber, or copal, if that makes a difference for you.
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