The most reliable way to distinguish natural amber from a fake is to show a product to the specialist gemologist having the corresponding equipment. If on it there is no time or the decision on purchase needs to be made quickly, there are several simple rules which will allow to understand the real amber or not.
Instruction
1. Never be guided by the product price. Production of fakes demands means and if the seller does not reduce the price, it does not mean that it has exclusively natural amber. Counterfeit amber is produced from plastic, rubber, rosin. Add a small part of natural low-grade amber to composition of artificial pitch and even try to obtain effect of the stiffened bubbles.
2. As amber reserves in the world are not boundless, and demand for this stone is always high, as an ancient stone sell dug - "young" amber to which not longer than several tens of thousands years. It is the natural stone received from pitch of trees, but it is impossible to call it amber. It is more fragile. Besides, modern technologies allow to create a similar product from pitch of modern coniferous trees. It is possible to distinguish it as follows – to drip on a product alcohol. He will enter interaction with the stiffened pitch and on a surface there will be a sticky spot.
3. To distinguish the real amber from a fake from synthetic pitch, use a "grandmother's" method. Add couple of spoons of table salt to a glass of water, stir and place a product from amber there. If the stone natural, it emerges, and the fake from pitch will drown. This way does not approach if the stone is put in order in metal.
4. One more way to distinguish a fake, without departing from a counter – to heat a stone by means of the lighter. If a stone natural, you feel a pleasant or neutral smell of coniferous pitch. The stone at the same time will not suffer. If the stone not real, appears smoke, the stone will darken, and you will feel a pungent unpleasant smell of burned synthetics. Ask the seller to show it. On its reaction you will understand whether he is ready to act this way with low-quality products.
5. It is possible to check naturalness also by means of a sharp object. Just carry out a scratch on a stone surface. If amber natural, then it crumbles, and the cut on a plastic fake will twirl a spiral.