Amber Jewelry Blog...

Tuesday 22nd May 2012 02:57:20 AM •

Sports: Lumberjack

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.

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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Czech •

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.

American Birling Association - Provides information and how to articles on log rolling, boom running, making log rolling spikes, carpeting logs, and organizing a log rolling or boom running contest.
American Lumberjack Association (A.L.A.) - A body which sets up rules governing sanctioned shows and competitors, maintains equipment, keeps records, mails regular newsletters to members and holds annual meetings.
Canadian Intercollegiate Lumberjacking Association - Provides a venue for colleges to participate in a series of lumberjacking competitions. Includes general rules, events, teams, forms, past results, upcoming competitions.
Canadian Logger Sports Association - Sets rules and regulations for Festival of Forestry at the Pacific National Exhibition and the Squamish Logger Sports summer month competitions.
Federation of New South Wales Axemen's Associations, Inc. - Provides an introduction to wood chopping, programs and results, training and instruction, articles, and schedules of meetings.
Fred Scheer's Lumberjack Shows - Includes information on upcoming shows and how to arrange a show.
Iron Horse Hotsaw - Water cooled design of the husky hotsaw which was the winner of seven world championships.
Ketchikan Coho's Log Rolling Team - Alaska log rolling school for ages 4 and up. Information about log rolling and other timber sports.
Lumberjack Alley - Explains the mechanics of how to use an axe, log rolling, two man bucking, jack and jill bucking, jill and jill bucking, bow sawing, hot saw chain saw, underhand chop, and axe throwing. Details contest management including expected expenditures.
Lumberjack Days - Stillwater, Minnesota annual July lumberjack celebration. Includes schedule of events, photo gallery, maps and info.
Lumberjack Entertainment and Timbersports Guide - Information about contests including locations, who to contact, and dates, listings of world records, where to obtain equipment and where to find related publications.
Lumberjack Sports International - Lumberjack show production company. Information about various television shows, how to arrange a show and the LSWRA organization of athletes.
Lumberjack World Championships - Annual July event in Hayward, Wisconsin. Event includes chopping, sawing, tree climbing, and logrolling. Information on history, competitions, how to purchase tickets.
New York State Lumberjacks Association (NYSLA) - Includes schedule, announcements, results, rules, maps, and entry forms. Based in Fulton, New York.
New York State Woodsmen's Field Days Lumberjack Contest - Annual contest held in Boonville on the third weekend of August. Includes general information, schedule, past results back to 1995, and world records.
Nova Scotia Agricultural College Woodsmen Athletics - Includes schedule of events, results, player biographies, roster, coaching staff info, photo gallery and information about the NSAC annual competition.
Stihl Timbersports Series - Provides past results, a list of contestants with biographies, a schedule of events, and a themed screensaver.
Tupper Lake Woodsmen's Days - An annual event attracts thousands of spectators and hundreds of competitors for a weekend of parades, logging demonstrations, competition, and fun.