Featured Plastic? Bakelite? - Necklace Help

This one came in a junk lot of old bits and pieces. It’s as it arrived, nothing has been cleaned or fiddled with.

The clasp looks brass or close to it. No marks. The string is thick, plastic and clear. I have no idea if it’s original. The beads is what I’m most curious about. They are different colors of brown and golden at the same time. It isn’t heavy so my guess is some type of plastic? The little spacers are a base metal silver in color. I don’t think it’s amber although it looks like it’s trying to be. The few amber items I have are all mounted in silver. I can’t tell if an amber piece is heavy or very light on it’s own.

I don’t think this is any type of natural stone. What other plastics can you guess that I may try to test for?

 

In my experience, amber is very light.. not sure, but this one might be amber (based on the variance of color). Do you have an UV light? Or you can try the salted water test too ..

 

Try testing for Bakelite.

Will the salt water test work on a necklace strung with metal beads? Just wondering.

 

I think you are right... the metal beads might be to heavy for the necklace to float..

 

Gut feel is 70s faux plastic amber, I've got some similar. The UV thing is the best.

 

Not amber, not bakelite. Did anyone else see the bit air bubble inside one bead? They're probably 70s acrylic. Those big air bubbles inside the beads are a dead giveaway.

 

Thank you, I ordered a UV light which should be here in a few days. I still side with it being a plastic but you never know...

 

UV lights are well worth having and usually dirt cheap.

 

I have a nice UV flashlight and it goes with me whenever I am on the hunt. Well worth having.