What is it?
BALTIC Amber Teething Necklaces are natural pain relief necklaces suitable for babies and small children. It’s reputed to boost the immune system, reduce inflammation, accelerate the healing of wounds and is the perfect help for babies and toddlers who are teething.
Every bead is knotted in between to prevent chocking hazard. It is strung on a silk string matching the colour of the bead. It has a screw clasp for additional safety. It is about 33cm in total length.
For whom are they designed
They are for boys and girls. These necklaces are a must for teething children. Baltic amber is a completely natural pain relief with no side effects. When can baby start wearing the necklace? The necklace may be worn from 8 weeks onwards. The earlier the better. When your child wears it at a very young age, she will not know it’s there, so won’t touch it or pull on it. These rounded polished beads lay comfortably against baby’s skin.
How does it work?
When the baby wears this necklace on the skin, the skin’s warmth releases healing oils from the amber (a resin) which is absorbed via the skin into the bloodstream. Children wearing amber is a very old tradition in Europe and the far East, these necklaces are long known for the healing properties of amber which include calmative, analgesic, antispasmodic, expectorant and febrifuge functions.
What happens if the necklace breaks?
The string is very strong and breaking is unlikely to happen, but if it does, only one bead will come off. The beads are very small, if baby should swallow it, it won’t be harmful since it is not poisonous. We do recommend that the necklace be removed for bathing and sleeping. The necklace is not to be chewed on by baby.
Verifying the authenticity of your amber
Hot Needle test
The hot needle test can be used to distinguish between real amber and fake materials. Real amber is a conductor of heat. The test involves inserting a hot needle slowly into a discreet area of your amber stone. If it is genuine amber, the needle will not go in easily and you will smell a distinct aroma of burning pine needles. Fake amber will smell like burning plastic. The needle makes a mark on the surface, so choose a spot where it will not show. With copal the needle melts the material quicker than amber and omits a light odor. Amber does not melt. Heating amber will soften it and eventually it will burn. Heated rather below 200°C, amber suffers decomposition, yielding an “oil of amber”, and leaving a black residue.
Refrigerator test
Placing the amber piece into the refrigerator for couple of hours will do the trick – as you pull it out, you will notice that amber retained the same temperature as it had before you put it in the refrigerator. By the same token – a piece of amber worn next to your body will pick up the body temperature and will be exactly 36.6 degrees C. Other materials would get cold in the refrigerator and would not pick up your body temperature.
Acetone test
Solubility of the piece may be tested, as copal will dissolve in acetone, while amber will remain unaffected when acetone is applied.
Taste test
Tasting the amber is another way of knowing if it is authentic. After washing the amber in soapy water and then plain water, if the piece is made from plastic or other chemicals, it will have a very unpleasant and chemical taste. Amber does not have a particular taste at all.