- Joined
- Nov 8, 2008
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- 1,136
FOR jewelry ,handle inlay.
$105.00
63x28x18mm = 2.5x1.1x0.74inches
weight 21.3 gram
payment paypal only
To discern real amber from fake plastic or copal,first you can try just a few simple tests:
1.Copal (immature resin) and plastic fake amber do not hold up to solvents. Take a few drops of acetone (fingernail polish remover) or alcohol and drip it over the surface of your piece. If the surface becomes tacky, or the fluid takes on the honey golden color of the substance, you can bet it's not amber. Amber is not harmed and will not dissolve under these solvents.
2.Amber does not melt. It will burn away like incense. Copal will melt and plastic will melt leaving a horrible chemical smell upon burning. Amber smells sweet, piney and pleasant when burnt, the very reason it has been used for centuries as incense.
3.Amber is buoyant in salt water. That's why it is easy for locals on the Baltic Coast to find it washed up on beaches. Mix up about a 1 part salt to 2 parts water and let the salt dissolve completely. Drop your piece into the mixture. Plastic and copal will drop out, while amber floats.