Amber: Exploring the Facts & Myth About the Gemstone

Ever since the movie Jurassic Park came out, the gem amber has experienced a major resurgence of interest, particularly in the jewelry market. So far, it shows little evidence of slowing down. Amber continues to be a widely popular choice for women all around the world.

Amber is not your typical mineral gemstone. Technically, it is organic material. It comes from a living plant - - in this instance, fossilized pine tree resin. It is, however, more than just that. It is a mixture of organic compounds like hydrocarbons, resins, succinic acid, and oils. However, it has none of the crystalline structures common within other gems.

Amber is millions of years old and, because of this antiquity, can be quite expensive. It is, after all, an actual piece of history. Amber with insects trapped within is particularly high in demand.

Another substance, called copal, is often mistaken for amber. It is also tree resin, but it has not fully fossilized into amber. And it is generally only a few thousand years old, rather than millions. Many believe that some of the so-called "amber" being mined in Africa is actually copal, and not amber. For this reason, some gem dealers do not recognize African amber at all.

More than one thousand different types of insects have been identified within pieces of amber. They have included caterpillars, moths, scorpions, spiders, and termites. But insects are not the only things that cause inclusions within an amber stone. Other inclusions, called star spangles, are actually internal fractures, which are most often caused by rough treatment of the stone.

History indicates that stone age man used amber for décor as well as for worship. The stone became a kind of currency in ancient times among the Assyrians, Egyptians, Etruscans, Greeks, and Phoenicians.

The Romans even went so far as to use their armies to conquer amber-producing areas so that they could control its trade. Later on, certain orders of knights continued to control the amber trade. In much of Europe, for many years, the possession of unauthorized amber was a criminal offense, punishable by imprisonment or even death.

During the Middle Ages, amber was routinely used for rosary beads because of their beauty as well as their satin smooth feel. It has been highly valued as an ornamental material throughout many cultures. Amber has been found inside Egyptian tombs as well as within archaeological digs of the Bronze Age. Amber beads have even been found within Anglo-Saxon relics dating back to ancient England.

Two major sources produce most the world's supply of amber: the Baltic States and the Dominican Republic. Amber from the Baltic States is older and therefore more desirable in that respect. However, amber from the Dominican Republic is more likely to include insects within the material; making it desirable for that reason.

Baltic amber has done well over the last decade, now that mines in the Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia produce significant quantities. Other amber sources are mined in Canada, Germany, Lebanon, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, Romania, Sicily and Scandinavia.

Amber prices fluctuate greatly according to its overall demand, its rarity, where it was mined, and the number, type, and completeness of insects caught within. It can easily range into thousands of dollars.

Although most people associate amber with the traditional golden brown color, in truth, it comes in many different colors; some which are primarily translucent and others that are mostly opaque. These include a bright lemon yellow, the traditional golden brown, a deeper chocolate brown, an orange-brown, olive, a blue-green, and a cherry red.

Amber is very soft in nature. It only ranges around three on the Mohs scale of hardness. It can be scratched, cracked, and broken easily. For this reason, much of the amber used in jewelry items that tend to take a beating, like bracelets and rings, is often coated with a protective clear resin or has gone through a reconstitution process.

Just like many other highly prized gemstones, amber now has many synthetic imposters. Some look very much like real amber to the untrained eye. To determine whether or not the amber you are purchasing is natural or man-made you can perform an at-home flotation test. It is relatively easy to do. Place the amber in a mixture of table salt and water. If it floats, it is authentic amber. If it sinks to the bottom, it is either man-made or reconstituted amber or copal.

Amber is never faceted. It is most often cabochon cut or used in beads. It is also sometimes carved. Amber is highly sought after in necklaces and pendants as well as earrings. It is also popular in rings and bracelets although it is less suited to those pieces.

However, amber isn't just as a gemstone. It is also used for carving figures, for cigar-holders and pipe mouthpieces, for ornaments, and even for utensils. Amber is also burned as incense, particularly in Germany, and is a commonly used ingredient in perfume.

The gemstone amber is one of the birthstones listed for the sun sign Taurus, which seems appropriate because of its radiant glow and interesting texture. Those seeking amber will find it isn't always easy to locate. An excellent source for amber jewelry, however, is Home Shopping Network. Three or four times a year, they run a series of two or three shows with highly sought after Baltic amber, which is set into designer pieces of jewelry like those shown in the photo.

If you've always longed to own a piece of history, amber is one way of doing just that.