Polybern

Polybern is an amber-like gemstone artificially produced in the GDR , which consists of yellow polyester and pieces or powder of amber. The name is a suitcase word made up of the names polyester resin and amber . Polybern was mainly produced by VEB Ostseeschmuck in the 1970s, when the then Soviet Union massively restricted its amber deliveries. For a time, Polybern was also marketed under the trade name Bernit .

Poly amber has a higher specific density than real amber (mostly between 1.21 and 1.27, but with a higher amber content also significantly less). The refractive index of 1.53 is identical to that of natural amber. If you scratch the surface of polybers with a steel needle, a smooth scoring groove is created; the chips are easy to remove. In the case of natural amber, splinters and a correspondingly splintered scratch furrow occur.

literature

Petty C. Rice: Amber - The Golden Gem of the Ages. New York 1987.