Amber Jewelry Blog...

Tuesday 22nd May 2012 01:33:41 AM •

Reference: Libraries: Subject Specific: Science

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.

Carnegie Mellon Engineering and Science Library - Variety of subject guides, mainly in the applied sciences and engineering, and links to related collections in other Pittsburgh libraries.
Duke University Science and Engineering Libraries - Home of the four science branch libraries at Duke University: Chemistry, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Math/Physics, and the Vesic Engineering Library.
Harvard University Science Libraries - Links to the 19 science libraries' homepages.
J.R.D. Tata Memorial Library - Library of the Indian Institute of Science, with physical and electronic collections in science and technology.
Linda Hall Library - Independent science, engineering, and technology library offering document delivery services, online reference, and online exhibitions.
MIT Science Library - Subject and database guides cover most areas of pure and applied science, databases, and types of materials (including technical reports, standards, and patents). Also links to the science branches and affiliated libraries.
Northwestern University Science and Engineering Library - Includes resources for patents, standards, national labs, and organizations and societies, as well as general links arranged by subject, and other library services.
Paul V. Galvin Library - Links to subject guides, maintained by this Illinois Institute of Technology library, in a number of engineering fields.
Public Library of Science - Advocates the free distribution of science and medical published articles.
Radcliffe Science Library - Reference library and the science department of the Bodleian Library, Oxford. A legal deposit ('copyright') library, receiving a free copy of all British scientific publications. In addition a large number of foreign works are purchased. There are especially strong collections of older material. On-line catalogue.
Roger Milliken Textile Library - The Institute of Textile Technology library, with links to the online catalog, reference help, and online resources.
Science Museum Library - A research library, open to the general public for reference. Collections form a record of scientific, technological and medical change since the eighteenth century. London, UK.
Smith College Young Science Library - Links to the online resources, instruction, and general information, with access to the 5-college online catalog.
UC Davis Physical Sciences and Engineering Library - Resources arranged by broad subject area include print and electronic collections, as well as guides to using databases and the library.
UCLA Science and Engineering Library - Mainly library services and staff information; subject guides in engineering and physical sciences include both proprietary and free internet resources.
UCSB Sciences Engineering Gateway - A jumping-off point for information in the pure and applied sciences from the UCSB Sciences-Engineering Library.
UCSD Science and Engineering Library - Specializes in physical science, mathematics, and engineering information.
University of Georgia Science Library - Includes the page "Science resources on the Internet", an index to web resources arranged by subject.
University of Maryland Engineering and Physical Sciences Library - Electronic resources include technical reports, preprints, access to patent and trademarks databases, and other sources arranged by subject and/or format.
University of New Mexico Centennial Science and Engineering Library - Offers online resources in general sciences and engineering as well as special collections for patents, maps, and government documents.
University of Pennsylvania Science and Engineering Libraries - Selected web sites, resources guides, and e-reference resources for chemistry, engineering, math, physics, and astronomy.
University of Queensland Dorothy Hill Physical Sciences and Engineering Library - Information about the library and collections, and a number of subject-specific "Findits" (guides to print and electronic research resources).
University of Virginia Science and Engineering Libraries - Portal to the six subject science libraries (Astronomy, Biology/Psychology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Engineering/Environmental Science) as well as subject guides to a wide range of subjects and types of information.
Vanderbilt University Stevenson Science and Engineering Library - Selected resources by discipline, an online map collection, patent resources, and news.
Weizmann Institute of Science Wix Central Library - Information about the library and its faculty branches, including chemistry, mathematics, and science teaching, and links to research sources for scientists and librarians.
Yale University Science Libraries Navigator - Links to the online catalog, general science references, and the eight science subject libraries, including forestry, engineering, chemistry, and the medical library.