Helpfull hints
Caring for pearls
Because pearls are organic gemstones, they are soft and highly sensitive to chemicals, heat, and moisture. To maintain their luster, apply cosmetics and perfume before putting them on, gently wipe them with a soft cloth after each wear, and store them flat in a breathable pouch.
Identifying pearls
Quick Identification Tests
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The Tooth Test: Gently rub the pearl against the front of your teeth. Real pearls feel gritty and textured, while fakes (like glass or plastic) feel perfectly smooth.
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The Temperature Test: Hold the pearl against your cheek. Real pearls will feel distinctly cool to the touch for a few seconds before warming to your skin. Plastic fakes will be at room temperature immediately.
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The Friction Test: Rub two pearls gently against each other. Genuine pearls create slight resistance or leave a fine powder. Fakes will slide smoothly.
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Visual Inspection: Examine them under magnification. Real pearls possess tiny, natural growth irregularities. If every pearl is perfectly identical in size, shape, and color, they are likely imitation.
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UV blacklight can help with identification as real pearls will glow white
Cleaning silver
To clean silver with aluminum foil and baking soda, line a container with foil (shiny side up), add boiling water and 1–2 tbsp of baking soda per liter. Submerge tarnished silver so it touches the foil, allowing the chemical reaction to remove tarnish in 3–5 minutes. Rinse and buff dry with a soft cloth.
Identifying Bakelite
To identify genuine Bakelite, rely on its physical weight and unique chemical composition. First, check the weight—it feels surprisingly heavy and dense compared to standard modern plastics. Then, verify authenticity using a friction-heat smell test, a cleaning solution, or specialized polish.
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Physical & Sensory Tests
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The Tap Test: When you gently tap two pieces of authentic Bakelite together, they produce a deep, solid, distinctive "clunk" rather than a high-pitched click.
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The Weight Test: Hold the item in your hand. Bakelite is a phenolic resin and feels noticeably heavier, denser, and more substantial than lighter plastics like Lucite or Celluloid.
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The Hot Water & Smell Test: First be sure its not amber heat or hot water can crack amber. Run the piece under hot water for 30 seconds or rub it vigorously with your thumb until it gets warm. Immediately smell the surface. Authentic Bakelite gives off a distinct, pungent, burnt-rubber or formaldehyde-like smell
Testing with Simichrome
This is a very reliable way to identify Bakelite or Catalin
Testing Bakelite with Simichrome is a reliable, non-destructive method for collectors. With a cotton bud Rub a tiny dab of the pink Simichrome Polish onto an inconspicuous spot on the item. If after rubbing, the cream on the cotton bud turns a bright, distinct yellow , it is Catalin.
a brown result indicates Bakelite
Bakelite does not glow in uv blacklight but amber does.
Below is a picture of a cherry red Bakelite necklace and a genuine egg yolk amber necklace illuminated by UV blacklight
Bakelite is often confused by sellers claiming it is amber.
What to look for:
are all the beads the same color? (its not amber, the odds of finding a vintage cherry color amber necklace with all the beads looking the same in shade is almost impossible) are there any inclusions (no, then it is most likely not genuine amber amber is natural fossilized tree resin and will have some inclusions)
Identifying genuine Amber
The Best At-Home Tests
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Saltwater Test: Authentic amber has a low density and floats in highly concentrated saltwater (about 7 to 8 tablespoons of table salt dissolved in a cup of warm water). Glass and heavy plastics will sink.
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Hot Needle Test: This will damage the item so not a good test Heat a metal needle until it is hot and gently press it into a hidden, inconspicuous spot on the stone or bead. Real amber will emit a fragrant, sweet, pine-like resin scent. Plastics will melt and give off a harsh chemical odor.
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Static Test: Rub the amber vigorously with a soft cloth to build up static electricity. Real amber will attract tiny pieces of paper or strands of hair when placed near them.
Red Flags for Fakes
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Flawless Inclusions: Real amber rarely contains perfectly centered, massive, flawless insects. Most genuine inclusions are small, imperfect, and irregular.
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Uniformity: If all the beads in a necklace are exactly the same size, shape, and color, it is almost certainly a synthetic material like glass or Bakelite.
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Temperature: Unlike glass or heavy resin, real amber is warm and pleasant to the touch.
Advanced Identification
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UV Light Test: When exposed to a UV (blacklight, genuine amber will often fluoresce with a distinct blue, green, or yellow glow. Plastics and fake resins typically show a dull or completely flat color under UV light
Jet, Whitby jet onyx & Obsidian
Jet or French Jet is black glass it will test as glass on a gem tester
It is heavy and cold to the touch.
Whitby Jet is a dense, high-quality variety of fossilized wood known for its intense "jet-black" color and warm, lightweight feel. To identify it, use the streak test—scraping the stone on unglazed ceramic will leave a brown or cinnamon mark, distinguishing it from coal, which leaves a black mark.
Obsidian (volcanic glass)
Obsidian is heavy and cold to the touch.
In UV blacklight it may look slightly brown swirls lines or layers may be visible .
Onyx
Onyx is a banded variety of chalcedony (a microcrystalline quartz) known for its parallel, contrasting layers of color, most commonly black and white, though it exists in red, brown, and green. It is a popular semi-precious stone used in jewelry, carvings, and luxury interior design due to its deep, often polished
It will test as quarts on a gem tester.
You can find onyx that is completely black.