Mysterious golden Amber, the fossilized resin of ancient trees, has intrinsic appeal for nature lovers.  Amber is not an actual stone, but it is rather the fossilized sap hardened into rock from long gone tertiary forests.  Amber is associated with the power of love, a supernatural increase in strength, terrific unexpected luck, quick healing, and divine protection.  Amber has been said to calm hyperactivity and stressed nerves, and helps one find the humor and joy in difficult times. According to legend, amber provided magicians and sorcerers with even more enhanced power.  Many believe that amber enhances altered states of consciousness.

TRAPPED OBJECTS

Occasionally, the lucky chunk of amber contains visible fossilized insects or plants inside, greatly increasing its value in jewelry and for collectors.  The more rare and perfect the entrapped object, the more valuable the piece.  Well preserved specimens are actually quite rare, and rightfully command top price.  Genuine fossilized amber originates in Carboniferous and Pleistocene geological periods (between 360,000 and 1,000,000 years ago), although newer pockets of fossil resin are harvested for the jewelry trade.  As tree sap oozed from the ancient conifer trunks, small insects, plant material, feathers and other small objects in the path of the flow became entrapped in the sticky resins.  Once encased in amber the objects were no longer exposed to the air, and to decomposition.  

Through a process of heat and pressure over the eons, the tree resin fossilized to become amber. Color ranges from dark brown to a light almost clear lemon yellow in all types of amber resins. Regions as far apart as the Baltic Sea or the Dominican Republic contribute to the finest amber available, so amber is truly a worldwide gemstone.  

THE VALUE OF AMBER

Amber can range in color from pale yellow through golden through a deep tangerine orange.  Color does not determine value.  Factors contributing to value follow in descending order:

1. Presence of fossilized objects or creatures that identify the age of the Amber.

2. Beauty of the inclusions and partials, lines and interior fractures present in the stone.  Clarity and color play can raise the value of Amber.

3. Treatments.  Amber is one of the most naturally beautiful gemstones.  Aside from cutting, polishing, and setting, it should be quite hard and require no other treatments such as resin stabilization, color enhancement, fracture filling or other techniques.  Avoid Amber that has been processes above a minimal for investment purposes.  Processed treated Amber can make fun fashion jewelry, but it is not valuable for the collector.

4.  Reconstituted Amber.  Reconstituted Amber is high processed and may not contain much amber at all.  These stones are worthless, and usually do not make for even fun fashion jewelry because they can melt, chip, and change color.  Reconstituted amber is hard to spot, but a magnifying glass can reveal some of its flaws and patterns that distinguish it from genuine organic amber.  I plan to photograph some of the fake amber I have been sold over the years, and post them here in the future, so please check back here if you are interested in this.

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