Amber Jewelry Blog...

Saturday 19th May 2012 08:23:03 PM •

Kids and Teens: Arts

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.

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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/

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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.

ABC Toon Center [ ] - Original games, puzzles, cartoons, read-a-long picture stories.
Albright-Knox Artgames [ ] - Interactive art and games that teaches about the paintings and sculptures at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY.
American Folklife Center's Collections and Special Presentations [ ] - An amazing collection of folk music, stories, photographs, and traditional artwork from across America.
Aol. Kids Creative Games [ ] - Online coloring, designing, drawing, music and fashion games.
Art Index [ ] - Directory with lots of links to galleries and museums.
ArtisanCam [ ] - Combines interactive activities with games, workshops and video footage of artists at work.
Arts Alive [ ] - The National Arts Centre of Canada presents music, dance, and English and French theatre. In English and French.
Bananaboo [ ] - Offers jokes, crosswords, coloring, stories, recipes, crafts, safety tips, pet names and other entertaining activities.
BlackDog [ ] - Kids free on-line games, puzzles, mazes, screen savers, stories, postcards, and holiday fun.
Blast [ ] - A BBC initiative encouraging 13-19 year olds throughout the UK to get involved in dance, film, art and music.
CBBC - Art [ ] - Interactive site tells about the personalities of artists, introduces their work and offers all sorts of interesting "Artyfacts."
Chateau Meddybemps [ ] - You'll meet amusing characters, try some fun learning activities, read original stories, and encounter some pretty humorous ideas.
Creative Art Space for Kids [ ] - Features children's art work from CASK, children's art exhibitions, and art classes.
Croc Festival [ ] - Annual festivals held in many locations around Australia, involving Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. Presents photographs, tour schedule and information kits for schools.
Fairy Godmother [ ] - Wishes and stories about how to make ordinary moments magical.
Family Fun [ ] - The Art Institute of Chicago offers exploration of the center and online games.
Funology [ ] - Offers lots of fun, creative activities, games, jokes, and trivia.
Get to Know [ ] - Nature art contest for youth (kindergarten - grade 12) to go outside (or to a zoo, aquarium, or museum), and then to share their experience with the world by creating an original work of art, photography, or writing.
HaringKids.Com [ ] - Interactive activities designed to inspire a love of learning and art.
Incredible Art Department [ ] - Includes art trivia and news, an overview of careers in art, and lesson ideas. Also accepts student art submissions.
KidLit [ ] - Allows kids to share their original artwork and writings online.
Kids Space [ ] - An educational learning site devoted to bringing out the creativity in kids of all ages around the world. Invites children to share their stories, pictures, and musical compositions.
Kids Who Care [ ] - An international performing arts organization that provides training in theatre, dance, music, and art. Site includes information on classes, camps, and touring company.
KidsPsych [ ] - Games and activities, offers a maze, online coloring and games, fun with shapes, I Spy, plus cute animations and sounds.
KidsWorld [ ] - Games and a coloring page based on works of art.
MoMA.org | Red Studio [ ] - Explores issues and questions raised by teens about modern art, today's working artists and what goes on behind the scenes at a museum. Contains interviews and interactive activities.
Mount Spressmore - CYKE [ ] - Provides a playground for kids where they can find art galleries and submit works of art that will be added to the "Art Cave."
National Gallery of Art NGAkids [ ] - Includes interactive discussions of paintings and sculpture in the National Gallery of Art, educational activities, and an animated musical story.
Notebook [ ] - Offers visual arts and art history references and resources.
Our Museum of Art History [ ] - Virtual museum created by a third grade class presents the art forms of six different cultures.
Picturing Women [ ] - Interactive exploration into how women are figured, fashioned, turned into portraits, and told about in words and pictorial narrative. Part of an exhibit at Bryn Mawr College, the Library Company of Philadelphia, and the Rosenbach Museum and Library.
The Art Window [ ] - Offers initial experiences into art terminology, principles and techniques and utilizes multi-cultural student work as teaching displays.
The Children's Film Unit [ ] - Provides children aged 10 -18 an opportunity to participate in professional film and video workshops. A registered educational charity.
The White Boxer Chronicles [ ] - The photographic adventures of two real white boxers, Charles-Clyde and Mavis. Includes holiday fun, projects, coloring pages, calendar, and boxer cartoons.
The Zinglers [ ] - Offers stories, music, color pages, and online activities.
Web Gallery of Art [ ] - Virtual museum of European painting and sculpture of the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods (1100-1800). With commentaries on pictures, biographies of artists, and guided tours.
Women Artists in Canada [ ] - Works of women artists in diverse media, plus biographical information about the artists, essays, and a bibliography.
Young Naturalist Awards [ ] - Collection of the winning entries from the American Museum of Natural History's national art and writing awards program for 7th to 12th graders.