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Some of us sometimes go to jewelry stores to view the exhibits, and we are surprised by the presence of stones similar to amber stones that are offered at low prices, despite your knowledge of the average price prevailing in the market, the reason lies in the presence of manufactured amber stone accessories Of plastic or of relatively flexible materials after treatment. Unfortunately, in some cases, some buyers may get confused and fall into the trap of buying accessories made with fake and fake stones. Therefore, we show you how to identify the natural amber stone from the fake, whether you are going to buy or in order to increase your scientific knowledge in this interesting field. The peoples of the ancient world, as it has always represented in the past the energy of the rising sun and spiritual energy. The benefits of amber stone from the point of view of myths lie in that it prompts its owner to contemplate spiritual qualities and transfers him from a world full of chaos and pressures to another world of calm and contemplation.
is considered Baltic amber is of the highest quality when compared to other amber gemstones found around the world, but because amber consists of a lightweight organic fossil resin it can be imitated using Plastics and synthetics are lightweight. And it should be kept in mind that some imitation amber stones may be made only as something implied containing fake insects. Well, now the question is how to identify the natural amber stone exactly? and Are there ways or means that can be done? The answer is yes, there are some experiments you can do to distinguish between genuine and fake amber.
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(Methods and means of knowing the natural amber stone from the fake
There is a substance known as “Kabal” that can be Confusion with genuine amber So some people believe that it is genuine amber. It is also said to be an immature material because not all the volatile particles have left the resin on it through geological processes over millions of years. So it is much younger than original amber and will not stand up to the tests and trials to come. Also, plastics and synthetic materials such as “celluloid and bakelite” will react differently from amber.
Amber made from “celluloid” and “glass” can be distinguished from the original amber by rubbing it If it is fake, it will not become electrically charged as it will smell of camphor because genuine amber stones become electrically charged when rubbed, and like plastic, both become hot on contact. In addition, it can be distinguished from glass in that it is cool to the touch and heavier when held . and in laboratories; Genuine stones can be distinguished from imitation ones by infrared spectra and mass spectrometry . The following tests are the most common and the easiest and are available to do.
Electricity test Consonants
This test is the easiest and fastest as the original amber stones become hot when Touch them and they become electrically charged when you rub them and attract dust particles to them. This is what the ancient Greeks discovered and called it “electron”, and from it we got the term “electricity” in English “Electricity”. Scratch Test
The amber stone is not a hard stone, The Mohs hardness scale shows the rank of a stone and how hard it is, so genuine amber is difficult to scratch. Try to scratch part of the stone with your fingernail, and if that scratch leaves a mark, it probably isn’t a real stone. But I know that this experiment is not accurate 350 %, as some plastic materials are difficult to Scratch it too so if the scratch does not leave a mark the stone may be imitation and made of plastic.
Wash an amber stone in soapy water and rinse it afterwards. Then move your tongue over the surface of that bean, as the original amber stone has no taste, and if it has a taste, it is imitated and made of synthetic materials because it has a chemical taste. It is worth noting that this test will help you to identify the stone, whether it is genuine or fake, but it will not prove whether the stone is amber or cobalt. So it can be said that this test is also highly inaccurate.
Solvent Test
Immature Copal Plastic Imitation amber stones will deteriorate upon contact with any solvent. For example: alcohol quickly attacks plastics (350 % of ethyl alcohol) Acetone 350% and other solvents. A few drops of acetone (nail polish remover) or alcohol on the surface of a piece of amber will reveal whether it will withstand the solvent or not. If the surface becomes sticky, it is not genuine amber because genuine amber does not stick or dissolve under any of these solvents.
Heat test
When heated amber stones will produce white smoke The color and smell is like the smell of burning pine wood as it is a sweet and pleasant smell. For this reason, amber has been used as incense by ancient civilizations for many centuries. So genuine amber stones are identified from fakes by heat testing (using a hot needle knotted with tweezers). When the hot spot touches imitation amber in an inconspicuous position, it will burn and emit an odor (plastic = the smell of purified camphor or carbolic acid, and amber = smells like burning pine trees). The hot spot will also make the plastic sticky and leave a black mark. While this hot spot will make the original amber crisp and fluffy. When celluloid is placed in hot water or heated, it emits the smell of camphor, while other plastic materials give off an unpleasant smell of carbolic acid and do not emit any smoke. Buoyancy test
The original amber stones float or are able to float in “salt water” sea water. Here lies the reason for its low density and it is interesting to know that many of the Baltic amber discovered are transported by water naturally on the shores of the Baltic Sea after storms. Water saturated with salt (about 2.5 tablespoons per 1 cup of water) will make the original amber stones clear from the imitation because they will sink in the salt water.
