Amber Jewelry Blog...

Saturday 19th May 2012 09:00:17 PM •

Reference: Biography

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).
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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.

100 Great Black Britons - Biographies of 100 well-known or important African and Afro-Caribbean people in the UK.
About Famous People - A collection of the biographies of various historical personages.
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online - 10,000 biographies of persons who were significant in Australian history. Various ways to browse or search the database.
Biographical Dictionary - More than 25,000 notable men and women who have shaped our world.
Biography Archive - A growing collection biographical articles.
Biography Center - Multi-lingual biographical directory.
Biography Homework Help - Homework help website on biographies of important people in history.
Biogs.com - Biographies of authors and other famous people that provide a flavour of the personality as well as relating the key events in the subjects' lives.
Canadian Heroes in Fact and Fiction 1998 - Short illustrated profiled of personalities, both historical and fictional, who have inspired and enriched the Canadian nation. Archive.
Canadian Heroes in Fact and Fiction 2001 - Short illustrated profiled of personalities, both historical and fictional, who have inspired and enriched the Canadian nation. Archive.
Cenotaph Database of deceased New Zealand service personnel - Details for over 115,000 New Zealand service men and women from the 19th century till today and especially from World War One and World War Two.
Chambers Biographical Dictionary - Access to the Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments).
Cityfile - Biographies of notable New Yorkers.
Dead Athletes - A directory of dead athletes and other sports professionals.
Dictionary of Labour Biography - Tool for all those interested in nineteenth and twentieth century British history.
Dictionary of New Zealand Biography - 3,000 biographies of significant New Zealanders. It does not include people who are alive.
Faces of World Rulers, Leaders, Presidents and Dictators - Current world political leaders, rulers, women/female presidents and dictators with their picture and biography profiles.
Facts of Lives from Biography Resource Center - Provides biographical information, search tips, and current biography news.
Famous Biography - Biography, birthday, birthplace, birthname and height of famous people.
FemBio - Institute for Women's Biography Research - Luise F. Pusch's FemBio database contains biographical information on over 30,000 notable women worldwide. Accumulated since 1982; entries added continually. Also: Woman of the Day/Week. [German, English]
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Heroes of History - Selection of noteworthy persons, their accomplishments and failures.
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MyHero.com - Tells the stories of ordinary people who have accomplished extraordinary things.
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The Biography Channel - Features 25,000 very brief biographical notes.
Time 100 - Profiles the 100 most influential people of the 20th century (as selected by TIME Magazine) in five fields of endeavor.
World Famous People - More than 400 people from over 75 countries are listed by name, country and occupation. Each has a link to the best website for more information about them.