Amber

Amber is a light, organic substance that is usually orange, yellow or green in colour.  It is a fossilized resin (not sap), which is a sticky organic substance produced by trees for defense against disease and insect attack.  Any insects or organisms that are found in amber are well preserved.

Amber is produced by a process called amberization whereby tree resin fossilizes into amber due to hardening, the loss of volatiles and polymerization.  The process is estimated to take 2-10 million years.

Amber is most commonly used in making jewellery and is well known for the insects and other inclusions trapped in it. These include insects, spiders, frogs and lizards. It is extremely important for documenting the fossil record of animals, particularly small insects that do not get preserved in sedimentary rocks. Some features unique to amber are circular, radical cracks called sun spangles which are made by heating and cooling the amber.  There are of course fake imitations of amber, one of the most famous is called ‘The Piltdown Fly’ found in the Natural History Museum.  This specimen is a carved fake in which a modern housefly has been inserted into a piece of Baltic amber.

Amber is mainly found in the Baltic region, Dominican Republic, Burma, Mexico, China, Japan, Lebanon, Sicily and Borneo.

It is a light, warm and beautiful stone which is supposed to have pain easing and vitality boosting qualities, enhancing the immune system and protecting against pain and illness.  Different types of amber jewellery include amber earrings, amber bracelets, amber necklaces, rings and amber pendants.  It is extremely valuable with the power of millions of years enchanted in it.