Ethan Clarke
Amber is fossilised tree resin and has existed for millions of years. It is often used in jewellery, but how can you tell if what you have bought is real amber or plastic? Genuine amber is lightweight and slightly warm to the touch. It is relatively soft and has a waxy, matte shine. It also has a distinct pine-tree smell, which can be released by rubbing it or burning it. If you want to be sure that your amber is genuine, you can try the hot needle test. Heat a needle and push it against the amber. If the needle goes in easily and you smell plastic, it is not real amber.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Amber has a deep yellow or yellow-orange-brown hue, but can also be white, black, red, green, or blue. |
| Feel | Amber is lightweight and slightly warm to the touch. |
| Shine | Amber has a wax-like shine, not a glossy shine. |
| Hardness | Amber is relatively soft. |
| Inclusions | Amber may contain small bubbles in its microscopic structure. |
| Smell | Amber has a pine tree smell when burned or rubbed. |
| UV Light | Amber appears blue or green under UV light. |
| Hot Needle Test | Inserting a hot needle into amber will cause it to crack, whereas plastic will melt. |
| Scratch Test | Metal can scratch amber but not glass. |
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What You'll Learn
- The smell test: Real amber smells like pine tree resin, while plastic smells like burnt plastic
- The UV test: Amber appears blue or green under UV light, while plastic does not
- The hot needle test: A hot needle will melt plastic but crack amber
- The scratch test: Real amber can be scratched, while plastic cannot
- The rubbing test: Rubbing amber creates a pine-like smell due to friction, while plastic does not
The smell test: Real amber smells like pine tree resin, while plastic smells like burnt plastic
One of the most effective ways to differentiate genuine amber from plastic is the smell test. Natural amber has a distinct pine-like fragrance, resembling pine tree resin or pine tree wood, which is challenging to replicate in imitations. On the other hand, burning plastic emits a sharp, chemical odour of burnt plastic.
The smell test can be performed in several ways. One method is to rub the amber with your palm, creating friction that releases its scent. Another technique involves applying a hot needle to the amber's surface, which produces white smoke with a resinous odour. Alternatively, you can burn an amber bead, being cautious not to damage your jewellery. If you detect a pine-like aroma, it is likely genuine amber, whereas a burnt plastic smell indicates a fake.
It is worth noting that the pine scent from amber can be quite strong and may not be universally pleasant. Some people might mistake this strong pine scent for the smell of plastic. Therefore, it is important to be cautious when relying solely on the smell test, as it can be unreliable for some individuals.
Additionally, it is important to be cautious when purchasing amber to avoid fake products. Fake amber is often made from materials such as copal, glass, phenolic resins, celluloid, and plastic. Copal, a type of young amber, is sold as Baltic amber but is much younger than genuine amber. It has a distinct sweet smell of burning resins when heated and can be identified by its perfectly shaped beads.
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The UV test: Amber appears blue or green under UV light, while plastic does not
Amber is fossilised tree resin and has existed for millions of years. It is lightweight, slightly warm to the touch, and has a waxy shine. It is relatively soft and gives off a pine tree scent when rubbed or burnt.
Plastic is one of the most common amber imitations, along with celluloid, copal, glass, kauri gum, and phenolic resin. Plastic is denser, heavier, and cooler than amber.
One of the most effective ways to differentiate between amber and plastic is by using a UV lamp. Amber appears blue or green under UV light, while plastic does not. This is a particularly useful test if you have spent a lot of money on a piece of amber jewellery and want to check its authenticity.
Another test is the hot needle test, which involves inserting a hot needle into the amber. If the amber is real, it will begin to crack, and you will smell pine tree resin. If it is plastic, it will melt, and you will smell burnt plastic. However, this test may leave a small mark on the amber, so it is not ideal for expensive pieces.
A third test is the scratch test, which is often used for less expensive pieces of amber. This involves scratching the surface of the amber with a metal object. Real amber is soft enough to be scratched, whereas glass beads, for example, cannot be scratched with metal.
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The hot needle test: A hot needle will melt plastic but crack amber
Amber is a natural healing stone with spiritual significance and health benefits. However, fake amber is prevalent in the market, and most people cannot tell the difference. Genuine amber is lightweight, slightly warm to the touch, and relatively soft. It has a pine tree scent when burned or rubbed between the palms due to its chemical composition.
One of the ways to differentiate genuine amber from fake is the hot needle test. This test involves heating a needle and then pushing it against the stone. If the needle goes in very easily, leaving a small mark, and the smell is plastic or fresh pine, it is likely fake amber. However, if the needle goes in only slightly or leaves some cracks, and there is a smell similar to an old pine tree, it is likely real amber. The hot needle test is based on the principle that plastic will melt when a hot needle is inserted into it, whereas amber will crack.
The hot needle test is a low-cost and practical method for widespread use, especially for identifying suspected microplastics in environmental samples. It is also useful for separating amber from coloured glass, as glass beads cannot be scratched with a metal needle, while real amber is soft enough to be scratched. However, this test may not be suitable for small amber beads as it may destroy them completely.
It is important to note that the hot needle test for plastics is not standardized, and the description is often vague. The accuracy of this test has not been fully evaluated, and specific visual behaviours may be subjective. Researchers are encouraged to assess their hot needle test methods against known standards and include spectroscopic verification of results for higher confidence.
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The scratch test: Real amber can be scratched, while plastic cannot
One of the tests to differentiate real amber from plastic is the scratch test. Genuine amber is relatively soft and can be scratched. On the other hand, glass beads, which are often used in fake amber jewellery, cannot be scratched. This test is usually preferred when inexpensive amber is being tested because scratching the gemstone can potentially damage it.
The scratch test is also useful because glass beads, which are commonly used in fake amber jewellery, cannot be scratched. Genuine amber is relatively soft, while most fakes are either hard solids or have a plastic feel to them.
Another way to check the authenticity of amber is by testing its hardness. This can be done by pressing small beads between your thumb and index finger. If it feels hard and plastic-like, it is likely a fake. Real amber is slightly warm to the touch, whereas most fakes are cool.
The smell test is also an effective way to differentiate real amber from plastic. Amber has a pine-tree or pine-resin smell when burnt. However, if you want to avoid burning your jewellery, you can rub the amber on the palm of your hand, which will give off a pine-tree scent due to the heating effect of the friction.
The salt water test is another method to determine if amber is real. Real amber floats in salt water, while most fakes will sink.
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The rubbing test: Rubbing amber creates a pine-like smell due to friction, while plastic does not
One of the simplest ways to determine whether an object is made of amber or plastic is through the rubbing test. This test involves rubbing the object against the palm of your hand to generate heat through friction. Genuine amber will emit a pine-like fragrance when heated, while plastic will not.
The pine-like scent is due to the fact that amber is made from the resin of pine trees. This natural fragrance is difficult to replicate in fake amber. The rubbing test is an effective way to distinguish between real amber and imitations made from materials such as celluloid, casein, copal, glass, kauri gum, or plastic.
To perform the rubbing test, firmly rub the object in the palm of your hand. Amber needs to reach a certain temperature to release its scent, so rub vigorously. If you smell a pine-like fragrance, similar to that of pine-tree resins or 'salty trees', the object is likely made of genuine amber. If there is no scent or an unpleasant plastic smell, it is probably fake.
The rubbing test is a safer alternative to other tests that involve burning or melting the object, which may be destructive. However, it requires a strong hand and may not work as well on polished amber. If you are testing expensive amber, it is advisable to choose a safer test to avoid the risk of damage.
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Frequently asked questions
One way to differentiate amber from plastic is by smell. Rubbing real amber creates heat through friction, which causes it to emit a pine tree-like scent. Plastic, on the other hand, smells like burnt plastic when burned.
A simple method to distinguish amber from plastic is the hot needle test. If you insert a hot needle into plastic, it will melt, but if you do the same to amber, it will crack. Amber is also relatively soft, while plastic tends to have a harder, plastic-like feel.
Yes, another test involves using a UV lamp. Amber will fluoresce blue or green under UV light, whereas plastic will not react the same way. Additionally, amber is usually warm to the touch, whereas plastic is cooler.
