They're all partially correct in one respect--amber was once a natural, living substance.
Forty to sixty million years ago, forested land existed where the Baltic Sea is now. Trees in those forests exuded resin, which gradually ran down their trunks and accumulated in puddles on the ground. As the land shifted, the resin puddles were eventually buried deep underground. Eons later, the sea covered the land. The tremendous weight of land and water pressed the tree resins into solid masses. Continued weight over the millennia caused further molecular changes in the solid resin, allowing it to harden into what we now call amber.
Eventually, bits and pieces of amber floated to the surface, where humankind discovered them. Soft and easy to carve, amber quickly became a favored talisman against evil. Its ability to generate static electricity when rubbed further contributed to its reputation for supernatural powers. Early healers also used amber for a variety of ailments, including asthma, goiter, headaches, and ulcers.
Although amber is usually yellow, brown, or orange, it ranges in color from nearly white to almost black. Most amber darkens to a rich red-brown as it ages. Tiny bubbles of trapped gases can give it a cloudy appearance.
One of the earliest known amber imitators, copal (kauri gum) is still used today. Copal, like amber, is fossilized tree resin. It is, however, only thousands, rather than millions, of years old. Some "amber" beads found in Egyptian tombs were made from copal.
Amber and copal both feel warm when handled. Both emit a "piney" odor when heated. They are both lightweight and float in water. A drop of ether placed on amber usually does not affect it, but will make copal sticky. (Don't substitute acetone for ether--acetone dissolves amber.)
Glass and plastic are also used to imitate amber. Glass won't float, as amber does; and plastic, when touched with a hot point, emits a strong, acrid smell rather than amber's pleasant piney fragrance. Egyptian, Afghanistan, and Somali amber are all plastic imitations. Some earlier plastics, like Bakelite™, were hard. Amber beads will show wear in the holes when strung. Bakelite™ beads, even those strung and worn for many years, do not show any wear or
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