To tell if amber is real, test it: genuine Baltic amber floats in salt water, glows blue-white under UV light, smells of pine resin when rubbed warm, builds static that lifts paper, and resists acetone. Plastic sinks and melts; copal softens under acetone. Run two or three tests together for certainty.
We've handcrafted Baltic amber in Lithuania since 1999 — and in that time we've seen every kind of imitation. Here's exactly how to know whether the piece in your hand is genuine amber.
Real Baltic amber is fossilised tree resin, formed 40 to 50 million years ago in the forests that once covered the Baltic region. Because genuine amber is rare, warm to the touch, and beautiful, it has always attracted imitations. Most fakes fall into four categories, and knowing them explains what the tests below actually detect:
- Plastic — acrylic, resin or casein moulded to look like amber. The most common fake.
- Glass — heavier, cold, and scratch-resistant. Rare, but used in some older pieces.
- Copal — real tree resin, but far younger (thousands, not millions of years). It isn't true amber and behaves differently under heat and solvents.
- Pressed amber (ambroid) — small fragments of genuine amber melted and compressed together. Partly real, but not a single natural stone.
No single test is definitive on its own — but run two or three together and the answer becomes clear. Start with the gentlest.
At a glance: amber vs the fakes
| Test | Real Amber | Plastic | Copal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt water | Floats | Sinks | Floats |
| UV light | Blue-white glow | Little / none | Faint glow |
| Scent (rubbed) | Pine resin | Chemical / none | Sweeter resin |
| Acetone | Resists | Turns tacky | Turns tacky |
| Hot needle | Chars, pine smell | Melts, chemical | Melts, resin smell |
The tricky one: amber vs copal
The hardest fake to catch isn't plastic — it's copal. Copal is genuine tree resin, so it can pass the float test, the scent test, and even glow faintly under UV. The difference is age: true Baltic amber has fossilised over tens of millions of years, while copal is only thousands of years old and never fully hardened.
Two tests separate them reliably: the acetone test (copal turns tacky, amber doesn't) and close inspection — copal often shows a slightly cloudy, softer surface and can develop fine surface cracks called crazing. When a "bargain" amber piece seems too cheap to be true, copal is usually the reason.
The simplest test of all: know your seller.
No home test fully replaces buying from someone who can tell you exactly where the amber came from. Certified Baltic origin means the stone has been verified as genuine Baltic amber — not simply labelled "amber" and left ambiguous.
At AMBER999, every piece is certified Baltic amber, handcrafted in Lithuania by the same workshops we've worked with since 1999. When you buy from us, the tests above will only ever confirm what you already know.
Want to learn more? Read our Complete Guide to Baltic Amber, or explore our handcrafted Baltic amber bracelets and necklaces.
Frequently asked questions
Can real Baltic amber have bubbles inside?
Yes. Tiny air bubbles, cloudiness and natural inclusions are all signs of genuine amber. Perfectly clear, flawless "amber" with evenly spaced bubbles is more likely to be plastic.
Is pressed amber real amber?
Pressed amber (ambroid) is made from genuine amber fragments melted and compressed together. It's real amber material, but not a single natural stone — and it should always be sold as "pressed," not passed off as solid amber.
What is the difference between amber and copal?
Copal is genuine tree resin but only thousands of years old, while true Baltic amber has fossilised over tens of millions of years. Copal can pass the float and scent tests but softens under acetone, whereas real amber resists it.
Does real amber have to contain an insect?
No — insect inclusions are rare and valuable, but the vast majority of genuine Baltic amber contains none. In fact, a perfect, clearly visible insect at a low price is a classic sign of a plastic fake.
Why does genuine Baltic amber vary in colour?
Baltic amber naturally ranges from pale white and butter-yellow through honey, cognac and deep cherry — even green tones. This variation, and the fact that no two pieces are identical, is one of the surest signs you're holding the real thing.
