Necklaces of these beads became widely available out of Burma/India in the 1980s (around the same time that pumtek beads had made their appearance). These necklaces are typically long cylinders alternating with short cylinders (disks), and the center of the format is typically three large disks, tending to be thick and wedge shaped. The beads are graduated. Necklaes also sometimes have other beads included: small spheroidal yellow glass; colorless plastic beads, etc. Oddly, the first one I ever saw was a plastic fake, said to be from Nepal (or at least bought in Nepal)—but I've never seen another one. The amber is surely Burmese, and is typically orangy-brown, translucent, and often has dark inclusions swirling around. I bought mine from Thor and Judy Carlsson (Art Expo) at that time.

Cheers, Jamey