Over the last 3 decades I have collected a large number of Amber, Copal, Lucite, Bakelite and Crystal/glass beads and jewelry. Many look very similar. How can you tell them apart? Here are some clues to use on the go and some definitive tests to do at home:
Amber is lightweight, warm to the touch and sometimes has inclusions. Amber is fossilized sap from extinct pine trees. It actually feels more like plastic or Lucite than rock or glass. Bakelite is very heavy. Genuine Amber floats in Salt Water. The population on the shores of the Baltic Sea can collect it as it rolls in with the tide, mostly after a storm. Some Amber is mined and there are mines in different places on the planet including the Dominican Republic. I have some of that too in my collection but prefer the Baltic Amber. The Dominican one has a different feel.
Amber under a black light will give off a soft blue fluorescence.
Amber floats in salty water.
Be wary of reconstituted Amber! If you see several shiny disks inside the “Amber” it is more than likely reconstituted or imitation. These are uncommon in natural Amber as they are actually droplets of water that dispersed creating the little disks and are “frozen” inside. Inclusions of animals can be added to this process. Natural Flora and Fauna inclusions are naturally rare, more so these days.
Green Amber is heated to achieve that color and not natural. Don’t be fooled as much of it will fade into a horrible murky color over time.
Amber is harder and will flake. You can’t simply slice it and it is very tricky to drill (I can speak from experience here). If a slice of the item in question comes off easily (like a slice of cheese) it’s not Amber.
Copal is called “immature” sap because although very similar to Amber, it has not fossilized and is not million of years old, more than likely comes from another tree since the trees that formed Baltic Amber have been extinct for a very long time. It is soft, slices easily, burns easily. If you take a red hot needle to Copal it will melt easily and also have that wonderful pine scent. When you try this test on Amber you will have a hard time getting the hot needle to go in. Amber is much harder, burns slower and emits a white smoke. It smells wonderful and has been used as incense for thousands of years.
Bakelite is heavy. It is an early plastic made using formaldehyde. Since formaldehyde is a deadly substance, Bakelite’s production has been halted for decades. It’s easy to tell real Bakelite and Bakelite from Amber. In a bowl that is heat resistant add very hot water, it’s ok to use the tap as long as it is very hot but not boiling. Dip the piece in question into the water for a second or two. Bakelite will almost immediately have a terrible smell. When in doubt dip again, wait a bit longer. Be careful not to melt the piece and make sure to try it in a place where it will not be easily seen. I just open the hot tap and let it run until it gets so hot I can’t keep my fingers in it. Then I hold a portion of the piece under the running water and check for the horrible and unmistakable smell. If you can smell that, it’s most likely Bakelite. (You just learned the sure fire Bakelite test, better than anything else, used on the Antiques Road Show too!) French Bakelite is different and will not emit the smell as it is actually made from milk derivatives. Do the hot needle test instead.
Imitations such as Resin, Bakelite, French Bakelite, Plastics, Lucite and others are affected by solvents. Dab a cotton swab in Acetone. I use industrial strength stuff as some of the nail polish removers nowadays are mild. I like the pure acetone for a definitive test. You can get it at almost any drugstore, supermarket and beauty supply shop, you probably have some at home. Rub the wet cotton swab on a hidden spot on the necklace( between 2 beads in the back for instance) The imitation materials will come off on the cotton swab, leave a mark on the material surface, melt or become tacky and opaque. Genuine Amber is unaffected, remains shiny and nothing comes off on the cotton swab.
Glass and crystal are heavy and cold, Amber is warm to the touch and light for it’s size.
There are other means of testing Amber in laboratories, but the guidelines given here should be enough. Just remember to be safe and careful and test only on a hidden area. Some of these tests are destructive and can cause damage to the piece.
Oh, so MOD! Vintage 1960s authentic Lanvin Bijoux large Lucite tablet pendant on snake chain.
