Amber Jewelry Blog...
Tuesday 22nd May 2012 02:02:39 AM •Science: Social Sciences: Area Studies
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.African Studies • American Studies • Asian Studies • Canadian Studies • European Studies • Latin American Studies • Middle Eastern Studies • South Pacific Studies •
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/
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/
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.
serwery | tani hosting | termometry | praca | formula one | baltic amber | wynajem samochodów | chorwacja | web designer |
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.
- Aneki.com - Offers country and regional profiles including maps, information on literacy, GNP, poverty, and comparison rankings.
- CIA World Fact Book - Lists population, government, military, and economic information for nations recognized by the United States.
- Countries Quest - Directory features articles about different countries organized by continent and offers information on natural resources, people, arts, economy, government, and history.
- Country Studies: Area Handbook Series - Series of books prepared by the Federal Research Division sponsored by the Department of the Army. This online series presently contains studies of 102 countries.
- Culturelink Network - Network of networks for research and cooperation in cultural development. Features databank of regional policies, institutions, and resources; current publications and research; membership and participation information.
- Global Studies Program - Masters in Social Sciences - Study focus on globalization, international governance and cultural change. Degree program jointly run by universities in Freiburg, New Delhi, and Singapore.
- Institute for Global Studies - A research unit at Johns Hopkins University that specializes in the study of global power, culture, and history. Features newsletter, calendar of events and program information.
- Institute for Global Studies - University of Minnesota - Creates curriculum and seminars to study global issues. Page includes news, events and staff information.
- Institute for International, Comparative, and Area Studies - Supports research for international and comparative subjects. Includes list of current studies, events calendar and resources.
- NationMaster.com - Provides country and regional graphs and descriptive statistics based on geography, military, economy, crime, education, and transportation.
- Post-Colonial Studies - An overview article that includes a discussion of important authors in the field.
- Theodora.com - Countries of the World - Information from the CIA World Fact Book (with 20 years of archives), United Nations Statistical Office, Library of Congress Country Studies and other sources. Features calculated country ranks, maps, country and airport codes.
- UNICEF Countries - Gives an overview of economics, politics, healthcare, nutrition and crimes rates occurring in nations around the world, especially as it affects children.