A neighbor's kid had a teething necklace made of amber beads, with a clasp just like this but amber.
It broke, I ended up restringing it for her, and I found amber screw clasps on Etsy.
Wouldn't be my favorite clasp, as it seems like it would wear out the waxed linen cord used on her necklace and my restrung recreation.
On the other hand, it survived her baby/early childhood! (She's nine now.)
They tend to be more-sturdy than would be natural amber as the material. J.
P.S.—The idea of using old leftover clasps as beads has occurred to me. And I have actually divided an amber clasp and used the pieces as end-beads on a necklace.
I bought my first strands of amber from a dealer on Ebay in Poland decades ago. They were strands of polished "chips", supposedly gathered from the shores of the Baltic Sea, in a variety of colors and sizes. I had to buy a kilo (minimum order) and I worried about what I was getting while I awaited delivery. Because the price was great for a kilo. Maybe too great?
It was all good. They look "natural enough" for me. I still have a lot of strands.
The dealer now sells mostly finished amber jewelry.
And when I went on Etsy to buy those screws, the amount of amber beads for sale was mind-bending.
In fact, I think I may have asked you about this around then, too, Jamey! You were the one that told me about processed amber, that it is indeed amber, but not in its natural state any longer. Still grateful for all your insights, then and now!
