What is this Opaque Semi-Precious Yellow Stone?

[HDer]

Recently won an auction for some odds and ends. Mostly cufflinks of minimal value, but there were a couple of interesting items in there. Two of them were this ring and this pin. Both are set with some kind of smooth, soft stone. Thinking maybe like a yellow opal or limestone?

The ring is marked 925, so probably sterling. The pin is marked with something, but it looks like the tarnish has made it unreadable.

 

[Bluegemz]

I believe that is a butterscotch amber.

 

[HDer]

Thank you! I took a look at some images of butterscotch amber and it does look like it.

 

[Bluegemz]

You’re welcome! They remind me very much of a butterscotch amber necklace which I used to own, but then sold. True, natural hand carved Baltic amber (instead of melted into mounds) Is becoming increasingly rare. There’s a lot of copal on the market which is a much younger tree sap which hasn’t fully polymerized yet. Much more of that around.

Here are 2 pictures for you to compare with those pieces m, and also to get a sense of some of the coloration variations.

 

[HDer]

Beautiful! Yes it does look very similar.

Was reading a little bit on amber and copal. Apparently to authenticate if it's actually amber I have to heat it and smell it?

Probably not worth it for such small pieces. But pretty cool to know! Thanks!

 

[Bluegemz]

Beautiful! Yes it does look very similar.

Was reading a little bit on amber and copal. Apparently to authenticate if it's actually amber I have to heat it and smell it?

Probably not worth it for such small pieces. But pretty cool to know! Thanks!

That’s one way. Another is the potentially destructive acetone test which will ruin the polish of copal but not amber, and finally a salt water test. But if those are in silver, the salt water test might not work. Amber should float. You have to look up proportions of salt to water.