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Waves of valuable amber pieces wash ashore


Still Waters

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A modern day 'gold rush' is taking place on a small stretch of Russian coast - after a storm washed swathes of amber pieces onto a beach.

The amber - fossilised tree resin valued hugely for its colour and beauty - is treated as a gemstone and used in jewellery, as well as in perfumes and medicine.

https://uk.news.yaho...ml?vp=1#IcvyE5x

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Amber is gorgeous! I don't own much of it because for some reason, it always is set in silver which bugs me because I hate the tarnishing. I'd own more of it if I could find it in gold!

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Just bear in mind that over 98% of the amber in the current market is synthetic ~ ;)

~

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I can tell real amber from the synthetic... if you're educated in it, you can actually feel the difference by touching it. Another form of amber you find on the market is real, but it's reconstituted... in fact, I see a lot more of this than real solid hunks of amber. Most new turquoise you see on the market is reconstituted too. Or it's dyed magnesite.

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I can tell real amber from the synthetic... if you're educated in it, you can actually feel the difference by touching it. Another form of amber you find on the market is real, but it's reconstituted... in fact, I see a lot more of this than real solid hunks of amber. Most new turquoise you see on the market is reconstituted too. Or it's dyed magnesite.

The smell test always works for me. I can rub it a little bit and smell the pine.

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The smell test always works for me. I can rub it a little bit and smell the pine.

I am going to use this tip, if you don't mind. I have a market near me that sells the most beautiful Amber jewellery, although the stall holder tells me it is genuine, I am very suspicious. Thank you :)

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I am going to use this tip, if you don't mind. I have a market near me that sells the most beautiful Amber jewellery, although the stall holder tells me it is genuine, I am very suspicious. Thank you :)

Beware, a lot of people can't smell it. My husband teases my about being able to smell a gas leak from three blocks down the road. :P You have to get it a little warm to bring the scent out. Holding it in front of a heater would work if you can't get it warm enough in your hand. I've got hot hands.

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Beware, a lot of people can't smell it. My husband teases my about being able to smell a gas leak from three blocks down the road. :P You have to get it a little warm to bring the scent out. Holding it in front of a heater would work if you can't get it warm enough in your hand. I've got hot hands.

Thanks again! I can't wait till Sunday now! When the market opens :) too happy....

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Thanks again! I can't wait till Sunday now! When the market opens :) too happy....

I need to add one more thing. :blush: Amber doesn't always smell like pine...it depends on where it came from. The best way I know how to explain it is that it will smell natural and not chemically.

I hope that helps. I know how dubious some people are selling stuff.

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Real amber is also very light weight.

Tips, if it has a "bug" or something else like plants, it's not real. Well, let me back up, it might be but you'll know by the price, if it's real and has a critter or plant displayed in it, it will be VERY costly. And by very costly I mean thousands. If you see disc-like shimmers in it, it's probably fake. Real amber can have those shimmers as well, it's water trapped in the material, but again, very rare to find naturally. If it's green, beware, it's probably not only reconstituted, but it's heated to achieve that color. Heated amber dulls dramatically over time and looks yucky.

I'm one of those people who can't smell amber, it probably comes from all these years of living in the PNW around all these evergreen trees everywhere or something (or maybe the 30 years of smoking I indulged in and quit 4 years ago haha). LOL.

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So there's a chance my diamond ring isn't a real diamond? ;)

Diamonds aren't very often faked, or at least the fakes aren't generally sold as the real thing like many other gemstones are. Diamond is an easy material to test to see if it's real. The fake diamonds are typically sold as such. Like Cubic Zirconia, Moissanite (which I LOVE, better than diamonds really), or Austrian Crystal (Swarovski)

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Diamonds aren't very often faked, or at least the fakes aren't generally sold as the real thing like many other gemstones are. Diamond is an easy material to test to see if it's real. The fake diamonds are typically sold as such. Like Cubic Zirconia, Moissanite (which I LOVE, better than diamonds really), or Austrian Crystal (Swarovski)

With the quality of some of the fakes, it doesn't make much sense to pay for the real thing if nobody can tell the difference.

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Real amber is also very light weight.

Tips, if it has a "bug" or something else like plants, it's not real. Well, let me back up, it might be but you'll know by the price, if it's real and has a critter or plant displayed in it, it will be VERY costly. And by very costly I mean thousands. If you see disc-like shimmers in it, it's probably fake. Real amber can have those shimmers as well, it's water trapped in the material, but again, very rare to find naturally. If it's green, beware, it's probably not only reconstituted, but it's heated to achieve that color. Heated amber dulls dramatically over time and looks yucky.

I'm one of those people who can't smell amber, it probably comes from all these years of living in the PNW around all these evergreen trees everywhere or something (or maybe the 30 years of smoking I indulged in and quit 4 years ago haha). LOL.

Thanks for all the good tips. I guess the thing is, if I want real Amber jewellery then I rekon the local market is probably not the place. I should go to a reputable jewellers instead. Hmmm so when's my next birthday!

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With the quality of some of the fakes, it doesn't make much sense to pay for the real thing if nobody can tell the difference.

I'd never buy a real diamond, and if someone wanted to buy me a real diamond I'd tell 'em to save their money. It's not because I don't like them, I do--I guess, because I like clear or very light colored gemstones--it's because I just don't see the point of paying for a diamond. On my left hand, where a wedding ring would normally be on most women, I wear a 3.6ct colorless Portuguese cut stone. Most people think it's a diamond on quick glance. What it really is is MUCH rarer than a diamond. I actually set a 3.6ct Danburite stone into 18k white and pink gold about 10 years ago. I LOVE this ring, it's gorgeous. Danburites are extremely rare as well, but since no one knows anything about them, and they are not in demand, I think I paid $30 for the loose stone. LOL

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Diamonds aren't very often faked, or at least the fakes aren't generally sold as the real thing like many other gemstones are. Diamond is an easy material to test to see if it's real. The fake diamonds are typically sold as such. Like Cubic Zirconia, Moissanite (which I LOVE, better than diamonds really), or Austrian Crystal (Swarovski)

Is there a way then I can test my ring to see if it is a real diamond? It's not that I think I was sold a fake. Rather I dispute the claim it is real, from my ex.

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Thanks for all the good tips. I guess the thing is, if I want real Amber jewellery then I rekon the local market is probably not the place. I should go to a reputable jewellers instead. Hmmm so when's my next birthday!

Oh I'd go look anyway, but avoid the amber seller... check out yard sales, flea markets and other for people who might be selling estate jewelry. They might not know what they have. LOL.

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Is there a way then I can test my ring?

You could just take it to a jewelry store, or even a pawn shop, and they'll have diamond tester machines. They're just a little hand held meter, and they touch the diamond with the probe and it instantly tells you if it's real or not. All pawn shops and jewelers have them. :)

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Oh I'd go look anyway, but avoid the amber seller... check out yard sales, flea markets and other for people who might be selling estate jewelry. They might not know what they have. LOL.

Fantastic ideas. Thanks.

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Omg! The famous lost Amber Room is being washed up!

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Anyone notice I have a thing for gemstones? LOL. I like 'em ALL! LOL. I actually have a very very nice collection of old turquoise, real and untreated. My mom was in Arizona around 2009 when the recession was hitting hard. She found a little bead and gem store that was going out of business. The owner had actually passed away and had owned the shop for decades. The family was selling off his stock and my mom bought almost ALL of what they had left for me (for a ridiculously low price). Some of the beads and stones weren't worth much, but when I opened one of the boxes, that clearly hadn't been opened in an eternity, I found 35 large pieces of turquoise which are gorgeous (3 of the pieces I made into jewelry and put it up for bid at a charity auction, my way of giving back for the gift I received I guess) and probably 50 quartz shillers which are gorgeous (it's clear quartz shot through with copper veins) six sunstones and 12 pieces of real jade! two of which were real lavender jade! VERY rare! All the stones were cabochon cut and ready for setting.

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Anyone notice I have a thing for gemstones? LOL. I like 'em ALL! LOL. I actually have a very very nice collection of old turquoise, real and untreated. My mom was in Arizona around 2009 when the recession was hitting hard. She found a little bead and gem store that was going out of business. The owner had actually passed away and had owned the shop for decades. The family was selling off his stock and my mom bought almost ALL of what they had left for me (for a ridiculously low price). Some of the beads and stones weren't worth much, but when I opened one of the boxes, that clearly hadn't been opened in an eternity, I found 35 large pieces of turquoise which are gorgeous (3 of the pieces I made into jewelry and put it up for bid at a charity auction, my way of giving back for the gift I received I guess) and probably 50 quartz shillers which are gorgeous (it's clear quartz shot through with copper veins) six sunstones and 12 pieces of real jade! two of which were real lavender jade! VERY rare! All the stones were cabochon cut and ready for setting.

You really are very knowledgeable. I feel like I want to pick your brain one day if you would let me. I didn't even know what Danburite was until you mentioned it and I just googled it. Interesting stuff.

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You really are very knowledgeable. I feel like I want to pick your brain one day if you would let me. I didn't even know what Danburite was until you mentioned it and I just googled it. Interesting stuff.

Anytime!! :)

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