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Real Amber Versus Natural Amber
Natural Amy and I love Baltic amber. Our amber pieces are specially made for Quintessential Bling. You won't find our amber designs anywhere else! Baltic amber is famous for its large number of varieties. The variety of color and degrees of transparency are obtained in the varied conditions during its creation. Whether warmed by the sun or weathered by the sand due the changes in humidity and oxidation cause the the amber's natural beauty. Methods have been developed for obtaining amazing the clarity of amber, and for achieving the colors cognac and black. After the treatment, it still possesses the features of succinite. .
Gemologists tell us natural Baltic amber is a living stone. The processes of vaporisation, polymerisation, isopolymerisation, and oxidation, which caused the once liquid resin to harden (so much that it can be ground and polished) have not yet ended. Metaphysics practitioner claim these processes constitute the beauty and healing effect of the stone.
(original scientific info from Prof. Barbara Kosmowska-Ceranowicz, Museum of the Earth, Warsaw
Wieslaw Gierlowski, Amber Association of Poland, Gdansk
Duty Free International Review, 1998 )
Natural and Rare Baltic Amber Colors
One of the most fascinating aspects of Baltic amber (second to insect, flora, and fauna inclusions) is its wide color spectrum. Most buyers are surprised when they see a display of Baltic amber jewelry from Poland and discover that the gem naturally occurs in 250 colors. Incredibly, this spectrum in amber jewelry complements almost any color of clothing. Amy and I love all the colors!
Descriptive terms to name the colors of amber came from the antique trade. Picturesque names such as "goose fat," "egg yolk," and "cherry" were based on transparency and color. Other descriptive words include: "banana," "ivory," "milky," "lemon," "sunny," "custard," "honey," "cognac," "molasses," "greenish," "orange," "brown," and "black." The rarest colors of natural amber are blue, green, white, and "kumst" (sauerkraut color). Jewelers in the Polish amber industry have over 200 names for their national gem.< We have found that the BEST quality amber comes from Poland.
AMBER FACTS:
The two factors that determine the quality of amber are the microscopic bubble inclusions of gas within the gemstone and the tree source.
The gas bubbles vary in size and quantity within each piece. In the space between these bubbles, the resin is clear. The bubble inclusions actually interfere with the passage of light through the
amber. This "interference" results in the variations in color and turbidity (opaqueness).
Heat-Enhanced Colors of Amber
As far back as the first century, it was known that cloudy amber could be clarified by boiling the gem in the fat of a suckling pig. Later, it was discovered that other oils could be used, the most common being rapeseed oil. The refractive index of rapeseed oil is the closest to that of amber. The
amber is immersed in an iron pot of rapeseed oil and slowly heated to the point of boiling. The microscopic air bubbles then become filled with the oil. This makes the amber transparent, as the light is able to travel through the gem without interference. The small circular fissures in the amber are encapsulated water droplets that flatten to disk-like shapes when the amber is boiled. These disks are commonly referred to as "sun spangles" or "fish scales." The amber must then be cooled very slowly or it could fracture easily.
Brilliant Green Baltic Amber On Today's Market
At jewelry and gift shows throughout the world today, you will often see brilliant green amber gems set in sterling silver. This is
Baltic
amber, but it has been heat enhanced. As with most fine gems, there are enhancement techniques to enliven and brighten the stone. Remember, the natural green amber is rare and would not be so bright with inclusions and "sun spangles." nbsp;
Heat treated green or cherry amber is still considered gem quality.
Milky, creamy, and lemon amber are examples of natural colors which have not been heat treated—however, the opaqueness of the colors prevents light penetration.
Whatever color of amber is your favorite—enjoy its special qualities because no two pieces are exactly alike! Most of our amber at Quintessential Bling is Natural Unenhanced Amber.
