About Amber

Indulge yourself in a true natural gemstone – Amber!

Amber is a fossilized tree resin and is a true wonder of nature. It takes millions of years to form. In all of its deposits, amber is molded in the shape of natural swelling taking the form of stalactites or droplets. Since resin is quite sticky, insects or plants naturally become trapped in amber formations providing scientists with valuable information about what type of species existed millions of years ago. On average, amber consists of 79% Carbon, 10% Hydrogen, 11% Oxygen and also some Sulphur.

Amber has been known as a gemstone in many parts of the world for millions of years. The oldest amber amulets are more than 30,000 years old. Amber was worn in ancient Greece, in Egypt and in ancient Rome. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed in the magic power of amber. Gladiators kept pieces of amber on them to secure victory. Throughout the Middle Ages, amber jewelry was worn only by nobility and was considered to be more precious than gold.

As far back as the ancient Greeks, amber was believed to have many healing properties and was believed to promote good health. After all, amber contains 3-8% succinic acid, which is a natural analgesic and healing agent. It is believed that this healing agent absorbed through one’s skin helping with pain relief and acting as anti-inflammatory agent.

Baltic Amber comes in a wealth of varieties produced by the great differences in the degree of its translucency and color: from pale yellow to white, bluish, greenish, beige and brown. Color and translucency of amber also depends on the amount of air bubbles. Humidity and light can turn it from yellow to red or orange. Amber also floats on the surface of sea water. It is warm to touch and will produce static electricity if rubbed.

The most common use for amber is in jewelry. Amber is popular because it is light, warm to the touch, luminous and elegant. The most common deposits of amber can be found in Western Europe from the countries that surround the Baltic Sea: Poland, Russia, Lithuania, Germany, and Denmark. Amber can also be found in Dominican Republic and is known for its turquois color. Baltic and Dominican amber is well known and has widely spread commercial use.