Amber
Organic
Amber is one of the older organic gemstone materials. Amber is designated organic because it is the fossilized resin from a now-extinct species of coniferous trees that flourished more than thirty million years ago. The amber from the Baltic States and the Dominican Republic is 30 to 50 million years old. Copal is a hardened form of resin that is less than 10 million years old. Amber is sometimes included with extinct plants, reptiles, and insects that give scientists a snapshot of the prehistoric past. Amber can be fashioned into a wide variety of items and has been popular in jewelry and decorative objects for centuries.
General Information
Tolerance:(+0.005/-).001)
LWUV: Inert to strong yellowish green to orange yellow, white to bluish white to blue
Amber Colors
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Multi-color -
Yellow -
Red -
Orange -
Green -
Brown -
Blue -
White -
Yellow -
Yellow -
Red -
Green
Alternate Names
Resinite, Ambrite
Countries of Origin
Myanmar; Russian Federation; Czechia; United States of America; Malaysia; Kazakhstan; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Portugal; Austria; Latvia; Netherlands; Sweden; Unknown; China; Poland; Slovakia; France; Jordan; Lithuania; Colombia; Romania; Hungary; Syrian Arab Republic; Japan; Ukraine; Anguilla; Switzerland; India; Spain; Lebanon; New Zealand; Canada; Turkey; Belgium; Denmark; Dominican Republic; Italy; Mexico; Israel; Australia; Peru; Ethiopia; Germany; Indonesia
History
Amber is millions of years old and glowing with golden warmth. Treasured for its clear beauty and inviting color, amber ranges from pale yellow to deep orange and occasionally even green, red, or blue. Most often clear, amber can have smokey swirls within it. Some amber also contains insects or bits of flora. Amber with these inclusions is highly desirable. Amber is an organic gemstone made from tree resin, then preserved for millions of years and turned to stone. Most of the world's amber is mined in the regions on the coasts of the Baltic and North Seas. When mined in those regions, amber is sometimes called Baltic Gold. Amber is also mined in the Dominican Republic.
Care
Amber is a 2 - 2.5 on the Mohs scale and is best worn in a well-protected setting. It makes necklaces with genuine warmth and brooches that seem to glow from within. Amber is not a stone to wear every day. It should never be placed in an ultrasonic or steam cleaner; never use chemicals to clean amber. Wipe it clean with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly.
More About Amber
Contemporary folklore ascribes to amber the ability to provide wisdom. It's associated with the Sacral Chakra, that is, the root of all sensual pleasure. Amber objects that date to 3700 BC have been found in Estonia. In the middle ages in Europe it was in high demand as a rosary stone. Once upon a time, amber was called the nectar of the setting sun… Perhaps you are drawn to amber by its history... perhaps its rich colors call you... maybe folkloric claims appeal... maybe you simply love the rich colors of the stone. No matter what draws you, your amber is here. It's waiting for you.