Thursday Thirteen ~ Amber

Thirteen things about Amber Although amber's use in adornment is probably as old as mankind, in recent history it has had a limited market. Demand is especially strong for amber with insects inside. More than 1,000 extinct species of insects have been identified in amber. The two main sources of amber on the market today are the Baltic states and the Dominican Republic. Amber from the Baltic states is older, and therefore preferred on the market, but amber from the Dominican Republic is more likely to have insect inclusions. Amber is a semiprecious stone formed from ancient tree resin that has hardened over millions of years. Fossils encased in amber are perfectly preserved, rather than simply being the imprint of these ancient organisms. Burmese amber is known gemologically as "burmite". Burmite is legendary for its red color and unique characteristics of containing insect fossils from the Cretaceous age (dated at approximately 100 million years) - the Age of the Dinosaurs! Amber can be attacked, (partially dissolved,) by solvents, alcohol, etc. Amber is darkened by heating. If done properly, this also creates the “star spangles” effects (These internal fractures radiate from a central point. While quite attractive, most are human induced. Hence, they do not have the high value of a good quality insect.). Amber can also be dyed to darken the color. This gem comes in many colors, with the most common being yellow, orange and brown. Rarely, you will find amber with a green, blue, or violet tint. This is due to extreme fluorescence. Amber is often confused with copal. These are very similar materials, with nearly identical origins. The difference is that amber is millions of years old, copal just a few hundred thousand years old. There is also pressed amber, or ambroid, that is created by fusing smaller bits of amber under heat. You can distinguish this with a microscope. Ancient techniques for identifying amber are still useful today. Rubbed vigorously on a piece of wool, it will generate a static charge, enough to pick up a small piece of ash. When it is warm enough, it also gives off a distinctive odor. These techniques will not distinguish amber from copal, but they will separate it from plastic imitations. (They are also great for entertaining inquisitive children.)