Amber Jewelry Blog...

Saturday 19th May 2012 07:11:24 PM •

Business: Food and Related Products

What is amber?

A common misconception with Amber is that it is tree sap; it is actually fossilised resin from ancient forests. The tree resin is exuded for a number of reasons such as protection for an injury to the tree, protection against biological or insect attack etc. The resin has then hardened and been preserved in the earths crust. Although Amber is regarded as a gem it is actually an organic substance that does not have the organic matter replaced by minerals. Pieces of amber are not cold and hard like most other gems. I have seen it described as 'organic plastic' to try and describe its weight and texture. Whilst I understand this description I think it takes away from the mystery and romance of this gem. Amber is also sometimes known as Succinite.

What are the different colours?

The huge variety of colours and the uniqueness of every piece is partly what makes this gem so popular. There are over 250 identified shades. The differing shades are due to the kind of tree the resin came from, the inclusions, the age of the amber and also the area in the world it comes from. Although amber deposits can be found all over the world there are only approximately 20 where it can be commercially mined.

Additives • Baby Food • Baked Goods • Beverages • Condiments and Seasonings • Confectionery • Dairy • Fats and Oils • Grains and Legumes • Meat and Seafood • Produce • Snack Foods • Sweeteners •

What are Inclusions in Amber

Inclusions are small objects which become embedded in the resin prior to it hardening and are part of what makes this gem truly fascinating. It was the very inclusion of a mosquito in a piece of amber that started the fictional theme park 'Jurassic Park' and it was at this point that Amber became more popular and fascinating to a wider audience in modern day. Because of this tree resin it means that anyone can own something that is millions of years old. This is part of its charm and romance.

A variety of small animals have been caught in these resin 'traps' such as fleas, ticks, millipedes and mosquitoes as well as items like seeds, roots, spores and Lichen. What I personally find the most fascinating are the ones that got away! Pieces of amber have been found with animal paw prints and have, on rare occasions, contained a few hairs or feathers from animals that have fled from its sticky clutches. All of these inclusions have enabled scientists to build an accurate picture of some of the plants and animals these forest contained and build more accurate pictures of earth in those times.

Amber From the Baltic.

The class of organic gemstones is quite small, but includes some unusual varieties which are important in the gem trade, including pearl, coral, ivory and amber. All the organic gems are rather unusual, but none more than amber. Amber is the fossilized hardened resin of the pine tree, Pinus succinifera, formed mainly in the Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period, about 50 million years ago. Amber has been used since prehistoric times for jewelry, amulets and religious objects. The most prized pieces contain inclusions of insects or plants or pyrites.

Yellow, orange and brown are the most common colors for amber, though rare blue amber is found in the Dominican Republic. The term "amber" has entered the English language as the color that is halfway between yellow and orange. The clarity of natural amber ranges from transparent to opaque. Most pieces have bubbles or inclusions. When polished amber has a resinous luster.

Unlike most gemstones, amber is amorphous rather than crystalline. It is fairly soft, with a rating of 2-2.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. While it is durable enough to have survived for millions of years, it is sensitive to acids, caustic solutions, gasoline, alcohol and perfume. It will burn if ignited by a match, releasing an incense-like odor.

One of the most unique characteristics of amber is that it is exceptionally light. It has a density or specific gravity of only 1.05 to 1.09. Amber is so light that it will float in salt water. Amber's low density makes it difficult to imitate with glass or plastic, which have much higher densities. By way of comparison, the total volume of a 5 carat piece of amber is 2.5 times the volume of a 5 carat piece of zircon (one of the denser gem materials).
GemSelect is a leading online dealer in fine gemstones, specializing in amber, sapphire, spinel and tourmaline.
Visit our website: http://www.gemselect.com/

Armenian • Bosnian • Bulgarian • Catalan • Chinese • Chinese Simplified • Croatian • Czech • Danish • Dutch • Farsi • Finnish • French • Galician • German • Greek • Hebrew • Hungarian • Indonesian • Italian • Japanese • Latvian • Lietuvių • Norwegian • Polish • Portuguese • Romanian • Russian • Slovak • Spanish • Swedish • Thai • Turkish • Ukrainian •

What has Amber been used for?

Currently Amber is enjoying a resurgence in its popularity as a gem that can make truly unique and beautiful jewelry, but has had many varied uses in the past.

The Romans used it in coins amongst other things.
A variety of religious objects including rosaries.
Amber attracts lint with static electricity when rubbed.
In the past it is thought to protect the wearer from kidnapping and aging and keep evil spirits away.
Cure for a variety of conditions such as headaches and rheumatic pain and enhance fertility.
Amber brings the wearer good luck in a variety of situations from going to war to getting married.
Often used as grave goods for a variety of reasons.
Thrown into fires to release aromatic fragrances.

Amber has always been popular and its use can be traced back to Neolithic times. The uniqueness of the gem has inspired different cultures throughout history to marvel, wonder and sometimes kill for it. We have always loved Amber and so it was only fitting that the first web site we set-up was to sell Amber Jewelry. The article is drawn from many years of reading about amber to satisfy our curiosity. My sister and I hope this will be the first of many articles on this fascinating topic. Please visit our site http://newamberjewelry.com/home to see if you agree with us regarding the diversity of this gem.

Betty Crocker - Producer of main and side dishes, desserts and baking products. Offers meal planning, award winning recipes, menu suggestions and special occasion tips.
Birds Eye Foods - Produces canned, bottled, and frozen food products, including vegetable, salad dressings, and snack items.
Cargill Foods - Manufacturers a variety of food and baking items, additives, and sweeteners.
Chi-Chi's - Provides customers with Mexican sauces, tortilla shells and related items. Includes company history, catalog, retail locator, coupons, events, recipes, and a food glossary.
ConAgra Foods, Inc. - Food service suppliers offering shelf-stable foods, seafood, and dairy products. Also makes agricultural products and food ingredients, and mills flour and corn.
Condi – Alimentar, S.A. - Produces and packages a variety of spices, gelatins, instant mashed potatoes, cocoa, and dried fruits. Portugal.
EFSIS Limited - Independent service providing retailers, manufacturers, and caterers with food quality inspections.
Emborg Foods A/S - International food suppliers of seafood, fresh and frozen meats, and bulk-packed dairy products. Company profile, product and contact details.
General Mills, Inc. - International production, marketing and distribution of cereals, snacks and processed foods, with details of branded products, subsidiaries and joint ventures.
Glory Foods - Specializes in producing seasoned, southern-style canned goods, frozen food and fresh produce. Includes store location finder.
Goya Foods - Family-run food company offering beans, rice, nectars, seasonings and authentic Spanish, Mexican and Hispanic specialties. Offers an online recipe library and product catalog available in English and Spanish.
Hain Celestial Group, Inc. - Markets, distributes and sells full line of natural foods, cooking oils, sugar-free products, medically directed snack foods, low sodium food products and frozen kosher food products. (Nasdaq: HAIN).
Hanover Foods Corporation - Independent food processor grows, freezes and cans vegetables and beans, and produces other items. Includes history, products, brands, outlets and recipes.
Home Market Foods - Provider of meal entrees, appetizers and snacks for both retail and foodservice customers. Includes company profile, product list, and store locator. Norwood, Massachusetts, USA.
Kahraman Co. Inc. - Processors and exporters of dried fruits, nuts, spices, pulses and olive oil. Turkey.
Kraft Foods, Inc. - Find information on the food company's 61 brands by region, investor information, corporate news, management biographies, and career opportunities.
MSI Germany - Manufacturer of compressed emergency food rations, and supplier of basic relief items.
MaMaspot - Manufactures pre-packaged exotic African meals, sauces and snacks made from specially selected West African vegetables.
Marquez Brothers - Produces, imports and distributes Mexican style dairy products, meat items and canned goods. Contains a brief company profile, descriptions of products, recipes and employment opportunities. Located in San Jose, California, USA.
Michael Foods, Inc. - A diversified food processor and food distributor with businesses in egg products, refrigerated grocery products, specialty dairy products and refrigerated potato products.
Molda - Specializes in manufacturing fruits, bakery fillings, mixes, and dried milk products. Located in Germany.
Nestle USA - Manufactures baked goods, milk flavorings, soups, refrigerated pasta, beverages, juices, jams, baby food, frozen meals, coffee creamers, cat food and desserts.
Nestlé S.A. - Headquartered in Switzerland with corporate offices worldwide. Childcare, cooking, petcare and wellness.
Nishimoto Trading Co., Ltd. - Imports, exports and produces a line of Asian food, beverages, restaurant and health and beauty products. Includes a variety of items, such as rice, flour, beans, beer, wine, dried seafoods, vegetables and vinegars. Has branches in the US, Canada, China and Japan.
Ortega - Produces Mexican food products. Features product information and recipes.
Pacific Foods of Oregon, Inc. - Offers organic dairy-free beverages, teas, and vegetable and meat based broths. Product and company information. Recipes.
Rich's - Specializes in baked goods, desserts, barbecued meats, and Italian cuisine. Includes company background and news releases.
San Miguel Corporation - Food, beverage and packaging company in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Includes company and investor information.
Sara Lee Foods - Produces a variety of foods under a family of brand names. Includes company information, promotions, and recipes.
Tharakan and Company - Manufactures and sells vanilla, cocoa and coffee bean products. Also, offers coconut oil, nutmeg, pepper, pineapple pulp and turmeric.
Topco Associates LLC - Provides procurement, quality assurance, packaging, and other services for supermarket retailers, wholesalers, and foodservice companies. Features contact information for distribution centers and news. Based in Skokie, Illinois.
Tova Industries, Inc. - Manufacturer, packer and distributor of dry food products, such as potato products, seasonings, baking mixes, and soup bases. Page includes online catalog and list of divisions.
Tyson Foods, Inc. - Corporate headquarters provides company profile and history of the poultry production facility and other facets of its business.