Information on Baltic Amber
Amber is tree resin that has dried and fossilized over a long period of time, sometimes tens of millions of years. The range of what is referred to as Baltic amber extends from the east coast of Britain, across the North Sea, to the easternmost shores of the Baltic Sea, and several hundred miles south and east into the continent of Europe. About 80 percent of all the known amber deposits in the world are classified as Baltic amber. Does this Spark an idea?
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Baltic Amber Basics
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Baltic amber comes in the form of an irregularly shaped stone, orange to dark brown in color and translucent. Many pieces of amber contain visible, fossilized insects, and a few rare pieces hold larger fossils of lizards, spiders and frogs. Most of these species, as well as the leaves, seeds, stems and flowers found in amber, no longer exist. The presence of extinct plant and animal "inclusions" within Baltic amber increases its value.
Properties and Uses of Baltic Amber
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Baltic amber is lighter than gemstones or metal. It is actually less dense than saltwater, which allows it to float and move easily from place to place along a seacoast. Large pieces of this material are comfortable to wear; its light weight also makes it easy for jewelry makers to cut and shape it into finished pieces.
Baltic amber is used in various forms of jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, rings, pendants, bead work and earrings. For centuries, it has also been used for pipe stems and cigarette holders. Sculptors have worked amber into figurines, decorative cups, picture frames, a model ship and church altars. Baltic amber has even been used to decorate the walls of an entire room.
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Healthy Amber
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Amber is also said to have medicinal properties. In the Baltic region, some people wear amber beads to protect against disease. In Eastern Europe amber is mixed with honey and other ingredients and sold as a healthy boost to the immune system. A form of incense made with powdered amber is burned to ward off evil spirits and bad luck; amber incense also drives off pesky mosquitoes and other insects.
Fake Amber
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Watch out for imitation Baltic amber made of glass, plastic and modern forms of tree resin. Genuine amber is harder than these substances and, unlike glass or plastic, real amber floats on saltwater. Amber also has a fluorescent glow when placed under ultraviolet light.
Varieties of Baltic Amber
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There are several different varieties of Baltic amber. The most common is succinite, named for the succinic acid that is formed within the stone. There are working succinite mines in Russia. Much of the succinite produced is not suitable for jewelry making and instead is worked into varnish and shellac and is used in other industrial applications.
Baltic Amber Colors
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Jewelry makers and producers have created an entire vocabulary to classify the color, quality and hardness of the various types of amber that come under the name Baltic. They include water clear (for transparent amber), cloudy, cabbage-leaf (for clear stones with swirls), clouded bastard (for clear stones with heavily clouded spots), pearl (dense white) and frothy (white and soft).
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