Yes, Michael, I meant "superior" with tongue in cheek. A material scientist would choose phenolic resin over copol or amber any day; a bead collector would do the opposite.

As always, beauty and functionality and value are in the eye of the beholder.

Yes, I understand your comment about amber and copal having different solubility properties. I can't speak to it yet, I havent' tried the tests on enough known materials to really tell. I have only the following two additional pieces of suspected "real" amber, which I bought at the Museum of Helsinki in Denmark, and I don't want to damage the cabachons.

BTW, the previous copol/amber strand was purchased in Copenhagen. Is it likely that copal would be shipped there? Nancy