Amber

Amber is a very light stone made from the fossilized resin of trees. It is great for large earrings as it weighs very little. Amber is used in all types of jewellery.

Amber General Information 

Amber is usually ranges from yellow to orange. Some amber has been found with red, green, blue, violet, and black hues. Amber often has inclusions such as air bubbles, insects or pine needles from the way it is formed. 

As amber is soft, it can be easily scratched. Be certain to store amber jewellery separately from your other jewellery.

Amber and alcohol DO NOT MIX. The same denatured alcohol that works so well to clean diamonds can ruin amber. Amber's reaction to alcohol will range from losing a little lustre to turning chalky. This is surprising when you realize that amber has virtually no reaction at all to another strong solvent, ether. Apparently alcohol in low concentrations (as in perfumes) will not adversely affect amber. Generally speaking, the lighter more transparent amber will resist alcohol's attack better than the darker opaque ambers. The safe bet: don't mix amber and alcohol.

Amber has been imitated by plastic, glass, synthetic resin and other natural resins. It is often heated in oil to remove cloudiness.

Green amber is often heated-treated yellow amber.

Where Amber is found

The best amber is found in the Baltic region (the coasts of Poland and the USSR). Some of this amber has been washed to the shores of Norway, Denmark and England.

Anniversary Gemstone for Amber

Amber is not an anniversary gemstone.

Amber Mystical Properties

Amber is said to be the "good luck" stone bringing the purifying, revitalizing force of the sun and the absorptive, transmuting energy of the earth together to create a powerful tool. 

More Amber Lore 

Amber has been used for decoration since the stone age.

Amber with special markings such as the initials of ones name was thought to be a great protective talisman.

The most impressive use of amber was an entire room of amber done in the 18th Century for King Frederick William I of Prussia. It contained wall panels of amber in many shapes and colours, and inlaid amber with intricate carvings. Amber was used to frame the doors and windows, and showcases displayed a myriad of amber carvings and jewellery. Frederick gave this room to Czar Peter the Great of Russia as a present (because he liked it so much), and the entire room was disassembled and relocated to St. Petersburg. The room was moved at least once again, then lost forever in 1941 when the Germans were threatening to invade. The Russians supposedly moved the amber room to underground vaults in the Ural Mountains - and it has not been seen since.