Featured Am I amber?

I posted two pictures on the Finds thread. Found in a thrift store today for $3, I missed a huge jewelry sale there yesterday. Is this amber? If so, what kind? The room was dark, but it was midday, not night-time dark. In the first UV light picture with all three beads, I am only shining the light on the large bead. Thanks.

 

I sure hope so!

 

I don't think so.... but wdik ?

 

I have had various types of ‘amber resin’ that glow like that, but are worth very little.

the marbling you see in the third photo looks very man made too.

if you dont mind taking apart the necklace a float test will confirm.

 

I don't think taking that apart is a good idea..... but , birthdays boys can get away with suggestions like that !!!

 

I don't think it's anything to worry about. It's some sort of resin.

 

Agree, synthetic resin. The necklace was either made in the western Sahel region/West Africa or inspired by necklaces from that region. Recently made from imported beads.
That orange colour looks very much like imitation amber from China, so that could be the origin of the large beads.

Difficult to see, are the other beads black or coppery glass and brass? Black glass is used a lot by the Tuareg and their neighbours to the south. This style isn't Tuareg, so could be by the Fulani or others in the region. Or a non-African copy of the style.