Prev | Index | Next
Amber with
insect, likely FAKE
Age: unknown
(from 2002
Tucson Gem & Mineral Show)
Amber with
insect, likely FAKE
Age: unknown
(from 2002
Tucson Gem & Mineral Show)
Amber comes from resin formed by various conifer trees. Amber comes in different age groups. The oldest deposit discovered to date was found in 260 million year old Permian limestone in the Ural Mountains near the Chekarda River. Triassic amber from the Mesozoic Era tends to have a dark red hue and ranges from 245 to 208 million years old. Tertiary amber comes from the Cenozoic Era and is much younger at 66-1.6 million years old. In the U.S., Mesozoic amber can be found along the
eastern coast, through the Tennessee and Alabama areas. Tertiary Age Amber from 66 million to 1.6 million years old. Mesozoic Amber from 245 million to 66 million years old. 1Resin from trees has two significant phases through which it must go in order to become amber, both relate to molecular changes. The first change which takes place within the fossilizing resin is the partial polymerization of the molecular structure. The second stage involves the evaporation of volatile oils trapped within the resin its self. 2
Since the movie Jurassic Park made fossilized amber with insects such a sought after item, fake specimens have become very popular. It is very easy to create synthetic amber that looks very real. Some key things to watch out for are very fresh, intact insects. Truly old specimens have undergone massive changes with the amber over time. "Insects encased in resin undergo a period of desiccation, all the water slowly leaves the body of the insect. If the body is completely encased in resin with no fractures leading to outer surface and the destructive effects of the air, then the internal structure of the insect can remain intact. Otherwise, the insect is merely a shell, the interior is empty, the body structure has been completely dessicated and dried." 2
Some tests for real amber by Garry Platt, Amber collector in U.K: 3
*HARDNESS. Amber has hardness on Moh’s scale in the region of 2 - 3. Using appropriate scratch sticks it should be reasonably straightforward to test the sample under question.
UV. Amber fluoresces a pale shade of blue.
*FRICTION. Rub the specimen vigorously on a soft cloth. True amber may omit a faint resinous fragrance but copal may actual begin to soften and the surface become sticky. Amber will also become heavily charged with static electricity and will easily pick up small pieces of loose paper.
*TASTE - Wash specimen in mild soapy water and then plain water. Whilst she could make no distinction between copal and amber, she could easily identify plastics and other common substitutes because of their unpleasant or chemical taste. Amber has hardly any taste at all.
*KNIFE CUT - Use sharp knife. Try to shave off a tiny piece. Real amber fractures and splinters. Plastic and polymers actual cut and tiny shaved pieces can be removed without any splintering of the material.
References:
1. http://www.uky.edu/ArtsSciences/Geology/webdogs/amber/science/science.html - University of Kentucky, Geology
2. http://www.gplatt.demon.co.uk/transfor.htm - Garry Platt, Amber collector in U.K., transformation to amber
3. http://www.gplatt.demon.co.uk/identify.htm - Garry Platt, Amber collector in U.K, tests for real amber