How to identify amber

1. Salt water test:

The specific gravity of amber is approximately between 1.04 and 1.10. It sinks in clear water but floats in salt water. We dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 240 ml of water (about 1:4) and stir the salt water until fully dissolved. Both resin and amber can float in salt water. Lightly plastic plastics float, plastics and other synthetics sink.

2． Solubility test:

After tens of millions of years of tempering, amber is less volatile than copal, which has not yet formed fossils. Short-term contact with ether does not cause any damage. We take 2 drops of nail polish remover and drop it on the specimen to be tested. The liquid on copal and rosin evaporates obviously slowly. Moreover, it feels sticky when you touch it with your hands, and it can leave fingerprints. But amber will leave no traces because the ether evaporates faster than the amber dissolves in the ether. However, if placed in alcohol and ether for a long time, amber will still be partially dissolved, because the solubility of amber in the potion is 18% to 20%.

3. Fluorescence reaction:

Copal hardly changes color under short-wave ultraviolet light. Or it only shows a weak green light, while Baltic amber and Dominican amber show blue or sky-blue fluorescence under ultraviolet light, no matter what the original color is. The simplest and most convenient UV light source is the UV currency detector used to detect banknotes. However, it should be noted that amber with this skin, old amber and optimized blood amber will have a strong fluorescence reaction only after being polished or re-polished. Some resin composites will fluoresce light green or light blue under ultraviolet light. This can be confusing for beginners.

4. Electrostatic reaction:

We quickly rub the specimen back and forth on a soft cloth. The amber ore will produce a charming aroma and can attract small thin pieces of paper; the copal will soften; the plastic will not emit any smell. . But both copal and plastic also react with static electricity.

5. Feel: Amber is a neutral gemstone, and its temperature is very mild no matter what it is treated with. If you wear it in summer, it won't be too hot; if you wear it in winter, it won't be too cold. If you imitate it with glass or chalcedony, it will feel cold.