Did you know that the Greek word for amber is "elektron"?

Amber is the fossilised plant resin from ancient forests.  Sometimes this resin has oozed down trees, encasing things such as leaves, seeds and unfortunate insects!  Amber is between 30-90 million years old.  Some jewellery advertised as amber is actually copal - an immature semi-fossilised amber.  There are a couple of ways to tell the two apart, although they will more than likely damage the piece:

 

1.   When touched by a drop of alcohol or acetone, copal will become tacky, but amber will not.

2.   When close to a flame, copal will melt, but amber will soften and turn black on the surface. 

 

Unfortunately, some pieces sold as 'amber' are actually plastic that has been made to (sometimes convincingly) look like the real thing.

 

Luckily for the buyer, there are a couple of effective tests to determine just how genuine it is - and without damaging it!

 

Amber floats in salt water, and plastics will normally sink.  Make your own salt water - add 1 part table salt to 2 parts water and mix until the salt has completely dissolved.  Drop the piece in the water - if it's amber, it will float.  However, this test will only work for amber nuggets i.e. if the amber is surrounded by silver in a piece of jewellery, it will sink!

 

Our favourite method does not damage the piece and can be used to test amber jewellery, nuggets, and anything else made with amber:

 

ROYLE TREASURES