Amber Listserv / any information on this?

[Andy Ng]

Very hard to tell anything from those photos, Mags. One thing I can say
though: the red glow that necklace has (when backlit) is a typical
characteristic of Borneo blacks (which also appear cognac depending on the
viewing angle, light intensity and thickness of the piece).

If it's any help, I've found out thru trial-and-error that if a piece of
natural and untreated black is thinner than 5.5mm and thicker than 6.75mm,
there will be no red glow when it's backlit with faint lighting. It'll show
up as cognac (thinner than 5.5mm) or as pitch-dark black (thicker than
6.75mm). While this 'window of red glow' holds true for the resinites I
find, I can't say if it applies to other sources.

The seller calls those beads 'rare', and won't be re-listing if the necklace
doesn't sell. Oh-kaayy. Gotta luv that Ebay-speak! If there was a lapidarist
nearby me who could facet beads, I'd chuck a few hundred kilos of blacks at
his/her door and have him/her churn them 'rare' beads out. I think we'd see
much less fakes, and text in ads which reek of 'snob-appeal' if only amber
prices were kept to moderate and reasonable levels.

Mags, to be totally free of any niggling doubts, try this: purchase the
untreated rough yourself (not from me...I don't wanna be accused of trolling
for sales) then have a lapidarist make you the beads to your specs. Voila!
One genuine amber necklace in your hands!

Andy

On 7/2/06, Maggiecatbird at aol.com <Maggiecatbird at aol.com> wrote:
>
>  Dear fellow amber-folk,  if you get a chance, check out the "black amber"
> necklace on ebay under #150002069195. Wait a minute - I've learned how to
> send it all so it's easier, and I've pasted it down below. The seller is
> certainly convinced about its authenticity and it is lovely, but I have
> niggling doubts about this being any closer to real amber than just pressed
> and dyed. Anybody out there know something about this kind to share?
>    Thanks,  Maggie
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/VICTORIAN-RAREST-BLACK-AMBER-GRADUATED-NECKLACE_W0QQitemZ150002069195QQihZ005QQcategoryZ58552QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
>
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