Amber Jewelry Blog...

Tuesday 22nd May 2012 01:35:38 AM •

Reference: Maps

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.

ABMaps - Online interactive map of the world, with detailed street atlas for North America.
Atlapedia Online - Contains full color physical and political maps as well as key facts and statistics on countries of the world.
Atlas of the Biosphere - A collection of maps, schematics, and information about human-environment interactions, directed at the education community.
Bing Maps - Worldwide mapping plus satellite images and aerial photographs from Microsoft. [Requires Internet Explorer]
CIA World Factbook - Reference Maps - Various maps of the world in both jpeg and pdf format that are updated annually.
Expedia Maps - Offers searchable listing in the United States and Europe by address and driving directions.
Fallingrain Global Gazetteer - Look up countries, cities, and airports and obtain topographic maps, weather data, and selected satellite imagery.
Flash Earth - Satellite and aerial imagery of the Earth in Flash. Based on different data that can be chosen by a click.
Great Circle Mapper - Shows great circle path between specified points on the globe with an aviation focus.
MapJack.com - Showcases a new mapping technology with street views of locations in Thailand and USA.
MapQuest - Find directions for and explore towns and cities worldwide. Display addresses on a map, view nearby businesses, get driving directions and maps, and plan a trip with city information. Also includes aerial photographs of selected areas.
Maporama - Generates maps for a desired address or point of interest. Output is also viewable on handheld computers.
Maps of World - Online maps showing countries of the world and continents. Too wide for smaller monitors.
Multimap - Global mapping service including street maps of Europe, North America and Australia.
National Atlas of the United States - U.S. government map portal providing access to many government branches including USGS, Census, U.S. Forest Service, NOAA, National Park Service and others.
National Geographic Map Central - Locate nearly any place on Earth, and show street maps, satellite views, bird's eye views, and 3-D navigation.
Planet Observer - Displays country and ocean maps, followed by demographic data on each reviewed area.
Readmap Project - Online maps collection with political and economical overview of each country.
Shaded Relief Map of the World - Interactive global map, including topographic relief, satellite imagery, and political information. Includes place finder.
Tactile Maps of Canada - Information on maps for education, maps for mobility, transportation maps, and current research and development activities. From Natural Resources Canada.
TerraFly - Searchable aerial views of cities and towns in the United States.
TerraServer - View maps and aerial photos of various parts of the Earth.
United Nations: Cartographic Section - General country and special issues maps.
United States Library of Congress Map Collections - Top-level categories include cities and towns, cultural, landscapes, conservation and environment, military battles and campaigns, discovery and exploration, transportation and communication. Searchable by keyword, location, creator, subject, and title.
World Atlas - Get maps and relevant information about every country, every U.S. state and dozens of major American cities.
Worldmapper - A collection of world maps, where territories are re-sized on according to the subject of interest.