Are Those Bakelite Beads

Bakelite or something else?

 

Hi,
Run them under very hot water and then sniff. If they have a Formaldehyde smell they are Bakelite. I seriously do not think they are Bakelite.
greg

 

You are probably right, they are super lightweight.

 

Bakelite would be heavy.

 

So, some sort of plastic maybe?

 

If you can find a seem, then they are plastic.

Rub them vigorously on your jeans, put them immediately to your face, if they get hot, they are amber.

 

No seams. They do get hot but is that common only for amber but not for other materials? I would think everything will get hot after rubbing?

 

They look like amber to me too. If they don't weigh a ton, they're not bakelite. If they weigh less than they look like they should, they could easily be amber. I'd have to get my hands on them to be close to certain.

 

They have web of crackles. Is that seen on amber? I'll check if the necklace will foat. Also, there are small cracks with some kind of yellowish substance here and there.

 

Sure are, if it's older or wasn't stored properly. It can happen to celluloid too, although you hope it doesn't. (and never hot pin beads; celluloid can ignite!) They could be a reconstituted amber too; it's hard to say from here.

 

Run out of salt Not sure if amber necklace would float with the clasp and the string?

 

Try putting them in a sealed plastic bag then put in very hot water. Open the bag and if there is a pine smell it is amber, if it a chemical smell it is some kind of plastic.

 

If you have a plastic necklace, try rubbing vigorously I think you will see the difference.

With amber you need to rub on cotton for it to get hot, that's why I said jeans.

 

Amber glows under a black light...

~Cheryl

 

It does indeed, you get a blue veil effect.

 

Something happened with the beads. Don't know if from the salt or the tests with the hot water. Now they are covered in white.. Tried to rinse them but it comes back.

 

Not a clue if yours is amber or if this makes any sense but I googled and found someone suggesting toothpaste for cloudy amber. Maybe someone has some experience with it.

http://alicezorn.blogspot.com/2011/03/cloudy-amber-jewellery.html?m=1

 

That might be celluloid. Celluloid does that when it goes bad. If these were in hot water, did you notice a camphor smell?

 

They were in hot water but I guess I am not good at smells. Could not figure what it smelled like. Will try the paste solution.
I did not know amber should not get wet.

 

That's not amber.