What Is Blue Amber?

Amber is fossilized tree resin that is normally orange to brownish-yellow, though there are other colors. Blue amber is amber that, like the gemstone alexandrite, appears to be a different color depending on lighting.

Chemistry

The ability of blue amber to display blue color in ultraviolet (UV) light is attributed to aromatic hydrocarbons, specifically the substance perylene.

Source

Blue amber comes primarily from Santiago in the Dominican Republic. The amber with the strongest blue color comes from the Los Cacaos mine.

History

Columbus landed in what is now Haiti in 1492. The people he met there, the Tainos, presented him with amber-decorated shoes; in response to his offer of a strand of Baltic amber beads.

Features

Blue amber is fluorescent, turning cobalt blue in UV light. Blue-amber appears like regular yellow amber in light that doesn't have UV waves.

Blue amber's fluorescence ranges from milky to an intense blue or green in light that contains UV waves.

Considerations

When cut, blue amber smells differently than regular amber due to its hydrocarbon content.

References

• Ambar Azul: Amber History
• Scitation.aip.org: Origin of the blue fluorescence in Dominican amber
• Ambar Azul: Blue Amber

Resources

• Amberica West: Blue Amber
• DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AMBER