Sunday, September 11, 2011

Buying Real Amber and being able to tell the Difference

Buying Real Amber is easy, if you know what to look for.

Real natural amber is different than reconstructed, pressed or amber-lite.

Real natural amber is different as the inclusions look different than processed amber
This is real natural baltic sea amber. See the variations in color. The rose is carved to highlight the variations. The amber chucks in this picture is from amber I have used in my art objects.
Real natural amber inclusions look like floating crystals, which they are, and the inclusions don't have harsh ridges like reconstructed, processed or baked amber lite.



See the gepressed air bubbles in the three examples above? It took millions of years to create this effect in this real and natural baltic sea amber.
Now look at the difference in the following art object.
Reconstructed amber has amber peices as drop ins into melted amber or plastic.
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The abovepyramidis reconstructed amber-lite. It is still a beautiful art peice, however, it is melted amber with chips of amber dropped into it. The melted amber is put into forms which create the art peice or beads and peices of amber chips are dropped into the melted amber. When you see big flies in amber, those flies are not fossils, they are from someone kitchen!
Buy real and reconstructed amber, just know what you are getting.
Real natural amber also can be almost clear or full of gepressed air bubbles or ocean debris, like insects, moss, and other fossils trapped in the resin, ree sap. Real amber gets warm when rubbed, as plastic doesn't feel quite the same.
When buying amber, always ask the seller if it is natural untreated amber or if it is processed if it is not labeled in the listing.
There are many nice peices of reconstructed amber, just start to know the difference. A lot of work goes into creating amber art objects. Carving, setting and designing unique peices is an art! Start collecting you amber now, just be sure to ask where the amber is from, is it reconstructed or natural and enjoy the happiness that owning, giving and wearing amber brings. Amber brings joy to those who wear it and give it.
P.S.
Something I have learned on e-bay as a buyer. Be careful of any listed items starting at .01 cents as anyone who has real items will put a real price on it. Also be sure to look at shipping costs when the starting price is so low....remember if you have to ask for a refund, shipping won't get refunded and if you paid $25.00 to ship a .01 cents item, you have been cheated. So look at the entire listing, including shipping and handling.Ship[ping costs should be easy to figure out. I bought an item from China for .02 cents and then when the shipping was calculated from British Pound it was $49.99! Be very careful when buying from overseas, make sure you know the translated shipping amount. and don't be fooled like I was!
Peace and health to you
Zetroc


Dezigns by Zetroc

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